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Ian Forrester KC, a member of Ampersand Advocates and a former Judge of the Court of the European Union, has been conferred the honour of Knight Bachelor in the 2026 New Year Honours list. Sir Ian is recognised for his lifetime contribution to international legal practice, writing and teaching in la

Views are being sought on whether legislation should be introduced to raise the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership in Scotland from 16 to 18, as part of a consultation on wider proposed reforms to family law. While marriages involving 16- and 17-year-olds are rare, the consultation respon

Security staff at Aberdeen Sheriff Court confiscated more than 100 bladed items during 2025, along with an imitation firearm, according to new figures. Data provided by the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) for the first 10 months of last year reveal that staff at Aberdeen Sheriff Court a

A senior police officer has credited the roll-out of body-worn video (BWV) cameras with a sharp fall in the number of officers being required to attend court, freeing them to spend more time on patrol. Chief Superintendent Kate Stephen told The Press and Journal that the introduction of BWV across t

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

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

A judge has authorised doctors to administer a blood transfusion to a 14-year-old Jehovah’s Witness if it becomes necessary following surgery, despite the child’s stated refusal on religious grounds. The Court of Session was told that the teenager had made clear that she did not consent

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Womble Bond Dickinson (WBD) has advised private equity firm Piper on a £7 million investment in VIEVE, the British artistry-led make-up brand, as part of a £9m funding round to fuel the company’s next stage of growth. Founded in 2020 by Scottish make-up artist Jamie Genevieve, VIEV