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Human rights organisation Reprieve has called for a judge-led public inquiry to establish the full extent of Britain's involvement in the rendition and torture of Abdul Hakim Belhaj and Fatima Boudchar by the CIA following anti-torture rulings yesterday from the European Court of Human Rig

The court service has maintained a strong fines collection rate, new figures show. Eighty-six per cent of the value of Sheriff Court fines imposed during the three-year period between 1st April 2014 and 31 March 2017 have either been paid or are on track to be paid consistent with the figure at 17 J

A judge has appeared in court after allegedly viewing a case file she has a person interest in, The Register reports. Her Honour Judge Karen Jane Holt appeared at Southwark Crown Court this week over allegations she viewed the file for one Cecil McCready in September 2016.

Denmark has joined other European countries in banning garments that cover the face, including the burqa and niqab in a move described as “neither necessary nor proportionate”. The law, presented by the centre-right governing coalition, was passed 75-30 yesterday, with the Danish governm

A man found guilty of sexual offences against two children almost 17 years apart has had his conviction quashed following an appeal. The High Court of Justiciary Appeal Court ruled that the similarities between the offences were not “sufficiently compelling” to overcome the “very s

There should be new statutory aggravations in relation to gender and age as protected characteristics, according to a review on hate crime submitted to Scottish ministers today. Lord Bracadale's review sets out recommendations in relation to the suite of laws covering hate crime offences in Scotland

Holyrood has passed a new law that stops Shetland being put in a box on maps of Scotland. Under the Islands (Scotland) Bill, Scottish government bodies will not be able to include Shetland in a box.

A man who claimed Romania allowed the United States Central Intelligence Agency to transport him to a detention site under its secret extraordinary rendition programme and subject him to ill-treatment and arbitraty detention suffered violations of his rights under the ECHR, the European Court of Hum

A Digby Brown partner has become the first solicitor in Scotland to be accredited as a specialist in both brain injury and spinal cord injury. Moira Kay, who has been with the firm’s serious injury department for over 13 years, received the accolade from the Association of Personal Injury Lawy

Matthew Stimson considers the ramifications of the Stage 1 Report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill. On 17 May 2018, the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Communities Committee published its Stage 1 Report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

More patients affected by violence will be offered support during admission to hospital to help them turn away from violence in their lives. The Scottish government has awarded £140,000 to the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit to expand its ‘Navigator’ programme to Queen Elizabeth U

Via @LyonCourt: The Lord Lyon King of Arms, accompanied by the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Lord Justice Clerk and the Officers of Arms, with Balaklava Company and the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, witnessed the rededication by the Minister of St Giles of the refurbished Mercat Cross.

Brewin Dolphin is growing its matrimonial team in Scotland with the appointment of family law and mediation expert, Anne Hall Dick, as a consultant. Ms Dick will work with the Brewin Dolphin team to enhance its understanding of the market. She will also provide mentoring and training to the firm&rsq

The Faculty of Advocates' Gavin MacColl QC, has been appointed independent chair of the Scottish Rugby Council standing committee on governance. Mr MacColl, who called in 2000 and took silk last year, is one of the bar’s specialists in commercial law.

The Scottish Arbitration Centre has announced that Norman Fiddes has agreed to sit on its Arbitral Appointments Committee, joining its Domestic Sub-Committee. The centre’s arbitral appointments service has been operating since it was first introduced in December 2014. When parties specify