News

US President Donald Trump has said the cost of running Guantanamo Bay is "crazy", following a New York Times report that estimated the bill for the prison camp at $13 million per detainee per year. Trump told reporters: "I think it's crazy. It costs a fortune to operate." He added that his administr

A Crown Court case collapsed after a woman accidentally joined the jury, The Telegraph reports. Judge Jonathan Seely at Chelmsford Crown Court said he had never seen anything like it in his career.

A Zimbabwean asylum seeker whose human rights claim to remain in the UK was refused by the Home Secretary has had an application for judicial review of a decision that he had not made a fresh claim to remain in the country dismissed. The petitioner “GC” argued that, as an “openly g

The UK government has said it may seek to prorogue Parliament again if the Supreme Court rules against it in the ongoing Brexit cases. A written submission explaining what the government would do if it loses the litigation has been published.

Thorntons has appointed 14 new trainee solicitors – its largest-ever single intake.

Sean White of Allan McDougall Solicitors comments on the issue of sanction for counsel in an opposed motion hearing before Sheriff Liddle. Carlo Capuano -v- William Gannon (PN1959-18)9 th September 2019 Opposed Motion Hearing before Sheriff LiddleRobin Cleland, Adv on instruction by Allan McDougall

A BBC article published at the end of last month highlighted a recommendation made by lobbyist group Greenpeace to introduce a national agency to enforce building standards in Scotland. The organisation believes that a centralised compliance system is required to ensure building standards are met by

The average price of a property in Scotland in July 2019 was £153,968 – an increase of 1.4 per cent on July in the previous year – the latest provisional statistics from the UK House Price Index (HPI) show. Comparing with the previous month, house prices in Scotland rose by 0.7 per

Scotland’s universities face rising costs and funding cuts and there is a growing gap in how well different institutions can cope, the public spending watchdog has said in a new report. The universities face various challenges, including a seven per cent (£91 million) real terms cut in g

The Crown Prosecution Service is "in denial" about declining rape prosecutions and convictions, the victims' watchdog has told The Times. Recent figures from the CPS show that while recorded rapes have increased over the past six years to 58,657 in 2018, charges, prosecutions and convictions for the

BTO Solicitors LLP has announced its sponsorship of the Edinburgh Art Fair (EAF) for the third consecutive year. The EAF will return this November to the Edinburgh Corn Exchange to celebrate its 15th anniversary with 65 exhibiting galleries from around the UK and abroad and over 500 artists from acr

A drunk man commandeered a milk float after losing all his money at the gambling tables, a court was told. James Cooper, 31, took control of the truck at 5:30am following a night of revelry in which he had 10 pints, The Times reports.

An engineer who raised an unfair dismissal claim against her former employer after she was sacked for refusing to work with a key contractor has lost an appeal against an Employment Tribunal’s decision to relabel the reason for dismissal and reduce the award payable to her. Julie Logan, who wa

Nine lawyers have been awarded silk, it has been announced by the Judicial Office for Scotland. Those awarded the rank of Queen’s Counsel are advocates Isla Davie, C Euan Duthie, Matt Jackson, Neil Mackenzie, Fred Mackintosh, Michael Meehan, Claire Mitchell, Astrid Smart and solicitor-advocate

Anderson Strathern has announced a raft of promotions, with three new partner appointments, a senior associate promotion, three senior solicitor promotions and five solicitor promotions. The firm also retained all of its second year trainees. Nick Howie has become a partner in the corporate team. Mr