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Sheriff Principal Derek Pyle's recommendation that virtual courts for summary criminal cases become the default has been described as "absolutely atrocious". In his report, Summary Criminal Virtual Trial Pilot: The Way Ahead, he states: “As a pillar in the effective administration of justice,

After more than 200 years, Thomas Muir of Huntershill has been restored to the roll of the Faculty of Advocates following a successful plea by Ross Macfarlane QC. Muir was an advocate and political reformer in late eighteenth-century Scotland who, during an age of revolution, promoted democratic ide

Stephen McGowan comments on the latest lockdown updates for the hospitality industry. Thursday 2 July 2020 brought a number of announcements of real interest and importance to the Scottish hospitality industry, and three stand out. First, confirmation that outdoor hospitality spaces such as bee

Nicola Buchanan explains the details of the civil partnership regime in Scotland. “Marriage is not everybody’s cup of tea. For some, it represents religious or patriarchal baggage that many rail against.” This was one of the ways the deputy convener of the Scottish Parliament&

Anderson Strathern has launched a Business Resilience Unit to support clients and business leaders across Scotland. The unit draws together specialist lawyers from across the firm and is led by Anderson Strathern’s chair, Bruce Farquhar, and director Neil Amner, who is also a member of the Sco

Charities may have to merge to survive the cash crisis caused by the pandemic, a lawyer has said. Alastair Keatinge, partner and head of charities at Lindsays, said the Scottish government must play a key role in reforming the third sector.

A device used by police to conduct checks, record details and share information has saved officers thousands of hours of time, The Courier reports. Launched last year in Tayside before being rolled out across Scotland, the mobile devices have saved an estimated 400,000 hours of work time.

An investigation has been launched into the apparent abduction of Sir Walter Scott's loyal four-legged companion. A 160-year-old statue in Perth depicts the renowned writer with his deerhound, Maida – but the dog has been stolen.

A reclaiming motion by a trust against the partial enforcement of an adjudicator’s decision in respect of a dispute between the trust and a company contracted to build a house for the trust has been refused. Dickie & Moore Ltd, the pursuer and respondent, originally raised the proceedings

Views are being sought from the legal sector, business, and the judiciary on which British courts should have the power to depart from the acquis of EU law. At present, only the Supreme Court and the High Court of Justiciary will have this power from 31 December 2020.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today marked half a decade since the tragic M9 crash in which John Yuill and Lamara Bell died, and criticised “glacial and agonising” delays which mean that a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) has still not taken place into the crash and the

With less than six months remaining in the EU Exit Transition period, EU Citizens in Scotland are to get increased support from the Scottish government-funded Citizens Rights Project.  Part of the government’s Stay in Scotland package, this funding will support the project’s continu

The Serious Organised Crime Taskforce has welcomed a successful cross border operation where Police Scotland arrested 59 people and seized more than £25 million pounds worth of controlled drugs. More than £7 million in cash and firearms, ammunition, explosives and industrial pill presses

CMS Scotland has launched its annual competition to find its next CMS Law Scholarships students in Scotland. The CMS Law Scholarships Scheme awards £2,500 each year to high-performing S5/S6 state school pupils from economically disadvantaged backgrounds while they are completing their law degr

The Political Settlements Research Programme (PSRP) has launched a new mobile app to help embed women’s rights in peace negotiations in the Arab world and beyond. PSRP researchers joined with those from the Monash University in Australia and InclusivePeace in Geneva to develop the data an