Jury Trials

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have written to Justice Secretary Angela Constance seeking an update on when jury trials will return to various rural and island courts, including Kirkwall Sheriff Court. It follows an order in July that prohibited new jury trials in island courts as a result of failur

Following last week’s announcement that during the latest lockdown the criminal courts will focus on the most serious cases, seven sheriff courts are now running jury trials linked to remote jury centres. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayr, Paisley, Kilmarnock, Hamilton and Airdrie Sheriff Courts are now

Sheriff Court jury trials delayed as a result of Covid-19 are set to resume in remote jury centres across Scotland following new government funding. The Scottish government has provided £6.5 million to enable the new remote jury centres to deliver capacity for 18 jury trial courts to operate.

The Lord Justice General, Lord Carloway, has established a short-term working group, led by the Lord Justice Clerk, Lady Dorrian, to consider the practicalities of recommencing trials by jury when public health guidelines make it possible. When the lockdown commenced, Lord Carloway decided that sole

Two jury trials will resume at the Old Bailey this week as Crown Court cases restart, the Law Gazette reports. The criminal bar has warned, however, that normal service "remains weeks off".