News

Justice secretary Michael Matheson MSP A conference focussed on local scrutiny of police forces is to take place in Scotland this summer, Justice Secretary Michael Matheson has announced.

An adoption order granted by a court in Ethiopia is thought to be the first foreign adoption order to been recognised and registered at common law in Scotland. A married man who was granted adoption of the child of his wife’s previous marriage before the couple relocated to Scotland has had the ad

A self-employed stage production manager has been awarded damages of £10,000 after being injured in a fall while unloading the set for a Jack and the Beanstalk pantomime. A judge in the Court of Session ruled that the defenders owed the pursuer a duty of care and that they were in breach of that du

Andy Coulson Following the collapse of former News of the World editor and convicted phone hacker Andy Coulson's perjury trial at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday, prosecutors defended their decision to prosecute the Prime Minister's former director of communications, saying they had no reason

A triple murderer's challenge to his life sentence is to be heard again at the European Court of Human Rights. Arthur Hutchinson, who murdered a couple and their son in Sheffield in 1984, claims his whole-life sentence breaches his human rights.

MSPs on the Scottish Parliament’s European and External Relations Committee will today consider the implications for Scotland of the proposed “in-out” referendum and renegotiation of the UK’s membership of the European Union (EU). The committee will hear from a panel of EU experts as MSPs se

The High Court in London is to hear a challenge by two MPs to the UK government's surveillance law. The Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act 2014 (DRIPA) was fast-tracked through the Commons in only three days last July after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled the existing powers were

Crispin Passmore The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has given the go-ahead for plans to radically change the separate business rule – against strong opposition from the Law Society.

Professor Alan Miller The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has achieved the top grade of accreditation, for the second time, from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions.

New laws to establish a system for opting out of organ donation could be considered next year. Labour MSP Anne McTaggart put her Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs) Scotland Bill before the Parliament yesterday.

The general public will be given the opportunity to voice concerns about plans for a law meant to tackle sectarian abuse at football matches. A meeting to discuss the Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Act 2012 will be held next week.

Maclay Murray & Spens LLP (MMS) has seen its IP & technology team ranked among the best in the world by two publications. MMS has been awarded gold status in the Scottish category of two industry publications: Intellectual Asset Management (IAM) and World Trademark Review (WTR).

An act from 1979 allowing referendums for a Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly is among legislation being recommended for repeal by the law commissions. A report published by the Law Commission for England and Wales and the Scottish Law Commission proposes clearing away more than 200 old laws th

Dame Elish Angiolini QC The commisioner of the Metropolitan Police has said officers will need to be taken off the streets if more resources do not become available to deal with an “overwhelming” rise in reports of rape.

Liz McRobb Shepherd and Wedderburn has advised Open Water on its recommendations made to a regulator as part of the creation of a competitive water sector in England.