News

A new research project will examine the attitudes of Scottish survivors of domestic abuse towards the sentencing of offenders. The Scottish Sentencing Council has commissioned Professor Nancy Lombard, a professor in sociology and social policy at Glasgow Caledonian University, to carry out the resea

An American woman caught smuggling cannabis into Jamaica told officials she did it to prove to her friends that the US product is superior. Courtney Elizabeth Baker, 37, was caught with seven parcels containing three ounces — around 85 grams — of cannabis when she arrived at Sangster Int

East Lothian law firm Garden Stirling Burnet has launched a family law division headed by new legal director Claire Christie. Ms Christie, who brings 18 years' experience to the team, is one of four new appointments to the firm alongside consultants Kathryn Wilson and Angela Craig and paralegal Aman

Burness Paull has appointed real estate lawyer David Stewart as a partner, bringing the firm's total to 86 partners across its Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow offices. Mr Stewart joins the firm from Morton Fraser and brings more than 20 years of experience, with a particularly strong background in i

The British & Irish Lions has appointed Gillian Treasurer as director of legal and governance, following a process to replace James Stebbing who recently announced his decision to step down as general counsel. Ms Treasurer will join The British & Irish Lions from Scottish Rugby where she has

Lord Hodge, Deputy President of the Supreme Court, has been re-appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, serving in the role for a second year. As Lord High Commissioner, he will attend the 2023 General Assembly, acting as the personal representative of H

The murder of Dr Brenda Page is the latest of Scotland’s cold cases to be proved by prosecutors. Prosecutor Alex Prentice KC, a leading advocate depute and crown counsel, presented compelling circumstantial evidence to disprove the lies behind which Christopher Harrisson has hidden since 1978.

The four teams going through to this year’s Donald Dewar Memorial Debate Tournament final have been decided after a closely fought semi-final focused on the future of the monarchy. Pupils from 16 high schools across Scotland competed in four semi-final heats last night. Disruption caused by co

Terra Firma advocate Jon Kiddie has written an article entitled The Ticking Timebomb of Expert Certification. "I am prompted to write this article by more general concern for the issue of certification of expert witnesses upon it arising recently in my own practice, and as affected by the Act of Sed

FIFA has been handed a letter supported by over one million petition signatures, as well as special shirts, demanding that it provide compensation to migrant workers who suffered  human rights abuses while working on the 2022 football World Cup in Qatar. The items were delivered to FIFA ahead o

A Perth sheriff has issued a guidance note on the management of criminal cases involving persons, particularly females, requiring hospital-based assessment where there is doubt about their ability to participate in criminal proceedings, after it was agreed that it would be helpful to produce a note

On 2 February 2023 the UK government passed the The Climate Change (Targeted Greenhouse Gases) Order 2023 in response to a campaign by the Scottish Climate Emergency Legal Network (SCELN) to amend the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008 (CCA 2008) and close a significant gap in the governance of gree

Northern soul fanatics have warned thieves who stole £250,000 worth of rare vinyl records that they have "nowhere to hide". The rare collection of records was stolen from the home of Birmingham DJ Ted Massey after a gig in Nottingham last month, The Times reports.

The number of right-wing extremists in prison has more than doubled in four years. Fifty-nine prisoners were classed as holding “extreme right-wing” views in 2022, up from 52 in the previous year.

French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to enshrine the right to abortion in the country's constitution. In a speech made in Paris paying tribute Gisèle Halimi, a lawyer and feminist activist who died in 2020, he said he wanted the change implemented “within months”.