News

The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee has said it will support the general principles of the Hate Crime Bill on the condition it is amended in line with recommendations the committee is unanimously making.  These recommendations go further than the commitments already made by the Ju

Scotland's legal profession "has to change" to reflect the progressive values it promotes in society, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said in an interview with her alma mater. As part of its celebrations to mark the centenary of women being allowed to practise law, the University of Gla

The Lord Advocate, James Wolffe QC, is to apologise to the former administrators of Rangers for their malicious prosecution. The news follows confirmation that a settlement has been agreed in a multimillion-pound claim against the chief constable of Police Scotland.

Students are to be called in to handle an anticipated surge in coronavirus-related legal issues under plans being drawn up by the Law Society of Scotland, The Times reports. Data from Police Scotland show a nine per cent increase in domestic abuse cases three months after lockdown measures were intr

Taxes on land and property could help Scotland develop a robust economy, according to a new report published today. The report – Land and property taxation in Scotland: Initial scoping of options for reform – has been written for the Scottish Land Commission by Alma Economics.

DWF has reported a double-digit increase in revenue and profits in the first half of the fiscal year in spite of the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the half-year ending 31 October 2020, DWF saw group revenue growth by 15.4 per cent to reach £167.6 million. This was mostly dr

Property giant Savills has seen reported a 74 per cent year on year increase in home sales across the north east of Scotland in a post-lockdown market bounce. Savills said that the increase between July- October 2019 and the same period this year mirrors what is happening across Scotland as a whole.

Audacious thieves have apparently raided a military plane designed to keep Russian president Vladimir Putin safe in the event of nuclear war. The Russian government said equipment worth roughly one million roubles (around €11,000) was stolen from the Ilyushin-80 plane while it was undergoing ma

A South African national who challenged his deportation from the UK on the ground that he was required to look after his mother has had his petition challenging the decision of the Upper Tribunal not to allow him an appeal refused. Ferdinand Pieterse was unsuccessful in appealing the decision o

The UK government has backed down on its threat to breach international law in respect of the Northern Ireland part of the Brexit deal after reaching an agreement with the EU. The government has now agreed to withdraw clauses 44, 45 and 47 of the UK Internal Market Bill, which it had previously admi

Lord Stewart of Dirleton QC was sworn in as Advocate General for Scotland at ceremonies in Parliament House. Lord Stewart presented his Royal Warrant of Appointment, first to a bench of three Court of Session judges led by, the Lord President, Lord Carloway in the First Division courtroom and t

Dr Kath Murray, Lucy Hunter Blackburn and Lisa Mackenzie of MurrayBlackburnMackenzie comment on proposed changes to a bill approaching stage three at Holyrood. This week an important bill will reach its final stage in the Scottish Parliament. The Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences

Investigations over deaths in police custody should be finished within a year, Dame Elish Angiolini QC has said. Giving evidence to Holyrood's Justice Committee, she pointed out that the complaints process was as complicated as the “wiring system of the Starship Enterprise” – refer

A major review of UK gambling laws has been announced alongside an increase in the minimum age for playing the National Lottery from 16 to 18. The review of the Gambling Act 2005 will look at online restrictions including stake and spend limits, advertising and promotional offers, and the powers of

An English barrister convicted of an "upskirting" offence has avoided being struck off because it is not considered a "serious sexual offence". A disciplinary tribunal ruled that Daren Timson-Hunt, who previously worked on Brexit-related issues for the UK government, should be suspended for six mont