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The four bars have have expressed deep concern over UK government plans to restrict jury trials in England and Wales. Since the UK government announced its proposal to restrict the right to a jury trial in response to Sir Brian Leveson’s criminal courts review, the Bar of England and Wales has

The 'not proven' verdict has now been abolished in all new criminal trials. The jury majority required for a conviction has also now changed from a simple majority to at least two-thirds of the 15 jurors. In addition, measures to enable more detailed research into jury deliberations have also been c

A sheriff has granted decree of absolvitor in a dispute between two sisters over whether a letter dated seven years after their mother’s will had altered it to remove one of them from the will after ruling that the letter was not an informal codicil. Pursuer Lois Boyd and defender Lora Boyd we

Criminal barristers in Northern Ireland today begin a withdrawal of services from all legally-aided Crown Court cases in a major escalation of their campaign for legal aid fee increases. Members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) last month voted overwhelmingly in support of the action, the lates

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Ronnie Clancy KC takes a look at a legal case that was central to its outcome. For those of us old enough to remember the Vietnam War, Ho Chi Minh (born Nguyễn Sinh Cung) is a very familiar figure. He was the face of opposition to

The Outer House of the Court of Session has dismissed an action for payment by a firm of solicitors against a Dubai-based law firm which required to instruct a Scottish firm for a debt recovery action on behalf of a client based in Hong Kong after finding that the references in the contract to &ldqu

Over the course of 2025, Scottish Legal News published more than 240 articles in our popular And finally section – sharing offbeat and weird legal news stories from around the world. But what were the most popular? Read on to find our most-read And finallys of 2025.

A valedictory court gathered at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to mark the retirement of Sheriff Alistair Noble after 39-years.

The Scottish Conservatives have renewed their call for the Scottish government to make drink-spiking a specific offence, in the wake of “shocking” figures on conviction rates, even though it is already a crime. Responses to freedom of information requests reveal that there were four conv

After more than four decades of prohibition, Scottish football may be on the cusp of a significant cultural shift, writes Madeleine Thomas. This month, for the first time since 1980, supporters at a top-flight match were able to purchase alcoholic drinks inside a stadium. Aberdeen FC’s success

Ali Harris and Professor Shazia Choudhry have been appointed as interim commissioners at the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).  Ali Harris is chief executive of Equally Ours, a human rights charity. Shazia Choudhry is professor of law at the University of Oxford, and the Jeffrey Hack

As Scotland’s housing sector emerges from one of its most turbulent decades, Marcus Di Rollo says 2026 is shaping up to be a pivotal year of recalibration rather than volatility. The 2020s have been a turbulent time for Scotland’s housing market. Rents and prices surged during the pandem

Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee has confirmed its support of the general principles of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill. In light of broad-based agreement for a "more fundamental and structural review" of crofting policy and law in modern Scotland, however, the committe

Two men have been convicted for plotting an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack on Jewish communities in the north-west of England which aimed to kill hundreds of innocent people. Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, were convicted of making preparations to commit a large-scale terrorist at