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A new system to improve the way in which prisons are monitored in Scotland will be introduced after the Scottish parliament today approved plans which will improve scrutiny of prisons right across the country. The plans:

Scottish doctors have called for a “conscience clause” to be included in new assisted suicide laws which would let them opt out of the measure. Holyrood’s health committee was told yesterday that the majority of doctors opposed the proposals, which would permit state-assisted suicide through t

Ending the automatic early release of prisoners in Scotland has “no merit” and will leave high-risk offenders unsupervised it has been warned. Dr Monica Barry (pictured), a criminologist, told the Scottish parliament’s justice committee the Scottish government’s bill to end automatic early r

Anderson Strathern has marked the start of 2015 by reporting a turnover of £21.5 million and a 12 per cent growth in profits in its 2013/2014 financial results. The results reflect a strong performance in a legal market which continues to see mergers as well as the disappearance of well-known names

The Inner House of the Court of Session has published a judgment in a case which raised the issue of the extent to which a pursuer requires to establish his own title to land in circumstances where a defender whom he is trying to remove does not have any title but avers that the land may be owned by

A former professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has found himself in court after he robbed a Manhattan bank in the service of “art”. Joseph Gibbons, 61, a filmmaker and artist was charged on Friday with robbery after he allegedly stole $1,000 from a bank in Chinatown.

The Supreme Court is to hear an appeal next month from a Scottish prisoner who was jailed for the racially motivated murder of a schoolboy in 2006. Imran Shahid is appealing on the basis his human rights were breached after he was held in solitary confirment for over four-and-a-half-years.

People seeking to end their lives with assistance from another person will have two weeks in which to do so, but when this time limit starts remains unclear, the Law Society of Scotland has said. The intent of the Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill is to remove the risk of criminal prosecution for tho

Proposals to legalise assisted suicide will today be scrutinised by MSPs on the health and sport committee. The Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill is at stage one of the parliamentary scrutiny process and the nine MSPs on the health and sport committee will begin their scrutiny by questioning the lega

The UK government’s proposed anti-terrorism measures could be successfully challenged under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the Law Society of Scotland has warned. The Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill introduces a number of measures to restrict the movement of individuals suspec

A gamekeeper has been jailed for four months after he set traps, took birds of prey and killed a goshawk. George Mutch, 48, was sentenced to four months in jail at Aberdeen Sheriff Courtyesterday after he was found guilty in December of illegal use of a trap, illegal taking of a buzzard, illegal tak

A man who was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment after being found guilty of murder has failed in an appeal against sentence. Paul Deeney was sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of stabbing Mark McGauchie to death, but the Criminal Appeal Court said it was “unable to criticise the

A man accused of assaulting his wife has failed in an appeal to recover a psychiatric report which he claimed would assist his defence by bringing her credibility and reliability into question. The Criminal Appeal Court ruled that it was “not in the interests of justice” to all

Pedestrians soaked by passing cars have complained to police new figures reveal. People across England and Wales have gotten in touch with police forces, accusing drivers of deliberately driving through standing water in order to splash passers by.

An American musician has won the right to remain in the country after an immigration judge rebuffed a Home Office attempt to deport him. The UK government was told that Steve Forman (pictured) has a strong case for being allowed to stay in the UK.