News

A firm of funeral directors has become the first business of its type to establish itself as an alternative business structure (ABS), Legal Futuresreports. Lodge Brothers Legal Services offers fixed-fee will, probate and powers of attorney services.

A father who claimed that his daughter was “coached” to make false accusations that he sexually abused her has failed in his appeal against a sheriff’s decision to refuse his application for contact with his child. The sheriff had ruled that it was in the child’s “best interests” to refu

An Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) has found that a company policy requiring an employee to remove her Islamic headscarf when in contact with clients constitutes unlawful direct discrimination and that an entirely neutral dress code policy may also constitute in

Gavin McEwan of Turcan Connell writes about the changes charities will see after Brexit. Charity law and regulation are matters which have remained largely within the control of the UK and Scottish parliaments, with little interference from Europe. As a result, there are no major upsets on the legal

Professor Lorraine Radford The cost of the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry which has become mired in controversy since its launch last year has already reached £1.8 million.

Professor Laurence Gormley A record number of commercial and business-related disputes were sent to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) last year.

Gregor Mitchell HBJ Gateley has announced the appointment of a private client specialist to bolster their Private Client team across Scotland.

The National Prisoner Healthcare Network has called for a pilot study to be set up to examine the practicality and validity of introducing screening for head injury in prison to identify prisoners who may have committed crimes because of historic injuries. Research has shown that the risk of violent

The number of people appearing in Tayside and Fife courts on charges of stalking has soared to more than twice the level of just two years ago. The numbers were revealed under a freedom of information request by The Courier. Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court has seen the biggest surge in cases, with three tim

Plans by the Scottish Government to remove the Crofting Commission from the list of tribunals in the Tribunals (Scotland) Act 2014 have been supported by the Faculty of Advocates.

Kate Frame The Police Investigations & Review Commissioner (PIRC) has begun two new investigations.

A homeowner has been refused leave to appeal against a decision of the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission to dismiss his complaint against a legal firm as “totally without merit”. Refusing the application, a judge in the Court of Session said he was “unable to detect any error of law or irra

Professor Hector MacQueen Scots law has traditionally allowed the parties to a contract to create rights under their contract for others (who are called “third parties”, to mark out the distinction between them and the contracting parties). The process goes by the Latin name of jus quaesitum ter

Ross Yuill A report published this week found that courts that took on business in the wake of closures have performed well – but issues still persist elsewhere.

The new Vice-President of the Sheriff Appeal Court is to be Sheriff Principal Ian Abercrombie QC, it has been announced. Sheriff Principal Abercrombie will replace Sheriff Principal Craig Scott QC, who retires on 31 August. The appointment, until 20 April, 2020, was confirmed by the Lord President.