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Lord Sumption has warned that a functioning justice system is "not discretionary" but is "fundamental to the existence of the state and to our existence as a civil society", and described the public's scepticism towards the presumption of innocence as a "travesty". The Supreme Court justice, who wil

Russia violated the article 11, 13 and 14 rights of seven LGBT activists by refusing them permission to hold LGBT rallies, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has found. Handing down its judgment in Alekseyev and Others v. Russia, the court said the case was no different from the case of Alek

Advisers are increasingly optimistic that partnerships with accountants and solicitors will help drive new business in the year ahead, research from Prudential shows. Its 2018 Adviser Barometer found that 57 per cent of advisers are expecting an increase in leads from law firms and accountancy pract

Scotland’s chief statistician today released domestic abuse figures recorded by the Police Scotland in 2017-18, noting a one per cent rise in incidents. Levels of domestic abuse recorded by the police in Scotland have remained relatively stable since 2011-12, with around 58.000 to 60,000

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has welcomed a report from a Holyrood committee on the steps the Scottish Parliament can take in order to become a better human rights guarantor. Commenting on the Equalities and Human Rights Committee report, Judith Robertson, chair of the commiss

Twenty years after the establishment of a full-time European Court of Human Rights guaranteeing a right of individual petition to over 800 million Europeans, the President of the court Guido Raimondi hailed the establishment of the court in 1998 as a landmark in the development of international hum

American lawyer David Rudolf, whose client Michael Peterson was the focus of the Netflix hit The Staircase, compared notes on criminal justice with Donald Findlay QC on the Edinburgh stop of his ongoing tour. Scotland's "not proven" verdict was among the subjects they discussed in the Queen's Hall a

A man who laughed and swore at police officers who couldn't find drugs on him was later found to be hiding a bag of cocaine – in his penis. James Mason, 21, told officers "f**k off, you're not searching me" and then, after a search, "ha ha, told you I had f**k all on us, you mugs".

The Inner House of the Court of Session has today decided that the current way the children’s hearings system considers brothers and sisters is compatible with Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The case was appealed to the Inner House following a decision by Lady Wise in Ju

A Scots lawyer who overcharged clients by thousands of pounds, including one case which resulted in £116,000 compensation being paid out from the Law Society of Scotland’s client protection fund, has been struck off the roll of solicitors after being guilty of “professional miscond

Judges in courts across Scotland will from today have to take into account a sentencing guideline when sentencing offenders. The principles and purposes of the sentencing guideline were approved by the High Court of Justiciary on 30 October and it applies to all offenders who are sentenced on o

An independent review into allegations of a bullying culture at NHS Highland will be conducted by John Sturrock QC. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman had previously announced plans for an independent review to look into the allegations that were raised in September.

Most people in Scotland support reforms that would allow people to self-declare their gender, according to the results of a consultation. The Scottish government survey supported proposals to create a legally recognised third gender for people who identify as neither male nor female.

Morton Fraser is growing its medical negligence team with the appointment of senior solicitor Derek Couper. Mr Couper who has a breadth of experience in dealing with medical negligence cases and also specialises in birth injury and fatal cases is joining Morton Fraser from the medical negligence tea

Scotland’s prosecutors have begun training in preparation for the coming into force of new domestic abuse legislation next year. The Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 creates a new offence of "abusive behaviour in relation to a partner or ex-partner" where physical and sexual violence, psycho