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Prosecutors have successfully challenged a judge’s decision to uphold a “no case to answer” submission made during a rape trial. The trial judge held that the Crown could not prove by corroborated evidence that the complainer had been asleep during the act of intercourse,

Measures that aim to strengthen the protection of children and vulnerable people while simplifying the system of applying for criminal record checks have been introduced at Holyrood. The Disclosure (Scotland) Bill will make the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme mandatory for anyone working w

The Libel Reform Campaign, which campaigned successfully for the ’serious harm’ test in defamation, has welcomed the judgment in Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd and another, handed down by the Supreme Court yesterday. The case concerned the interpretation of section 1 of the Defamation A

Hundreds of asylum seekers face eviction after housing provider Serco announced it is restarting its lock-changing programme. It first announced it was handing out eviction notices to tenants who had been denied the right to remain in the UK last July.

The law is on Scotland's side in its dispute with Ireland over the waters of Rockall, according to two Irish maritime law experts, The Times reports. Clive Symmons, of Trinity College Dublin, said Irish ministers were "incorrect" to assert that the Scottish government had no basis for excluding Iris

Gilson Gray has announced five new promotions. Lorna Davidson has been promoted to associate, in litigation and dispute resolution while Iain Grant has made the move up to senior solicitor in the same department.

Plans to set up a National Taskforce for Human Rights Leadership have been applauded by the Faculty of Advocates’ Human Rights and Rule of Law Committee (HRRoL). The Scottish government says the taskforce is to be co-chaired by Shirley Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and

The last in a set of six EU directives providing guarantees during criminal proceedings across all member states has come into force. The directive on special safeguards for children started to apply yesterday, just over a month after the directive guaranteeing access to legal aid started to apply.

Amazon is facing two lawsuits in the US over its storage of children's voices through its Alexa product, The Register reports. The lawsuits have been lodged in courts in California and Washington by guardians of the unnamed children, aged eight and 10.

Paramedics will be armed and told to use necessary force when responding to certain high-risk situations under a new law. The medical professionals will have to complete annual firearm safety and "tactical" training under the measure, set to take effect in the US state of Florida from July.

A mental health nurse who was struck-off has had an application to appeal against the decision rejected because it was lodged six days after the expiry of the statutory time limit. The Inner House of the Court of Session refused to allow the case to proceed despite the “relatively sh

News publishers who appealed over articles defamatory of a man in respect of his behaviour towards his former wife have had their appeal dismissed by justices in the Supreme Court on the basis the “serious harm” test was satisfied. The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the appeal,

MI5 has been unlawfully retaining innocent people’s data for years, the High Court of England and Wales has been told. At a judicial review of the intelligence service's activities, lawyers for human rights group Liberty said that MI5 had acknowledged internally that data was being mishandled.

Lord Boyd of Duncansby has been appointed as Vice President of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. The tribunal, which has UK-wide jurisdiction, provides a right of redress for anyone who believes that they have been a victim of unlawful action by a public authority using covert investigative techniq

Donald Reid, a partner in and chairman of Glasgow law firm Mitchells Roberton, has been elected Dean of the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow. The Faculty, which has existed since before 1668, represents most legal practitioners in Greater Glasgow. Mitchells Roberton is equally venerable, trac