On 25 September 2023, JUSTICE hosted a roundtable to discuss the recent Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. Chaired by former JUSTICE Scotland Chair, Shelagh McCall KC, the roundtable was attended by practitioners, academics, victim support organisations, researchers and policymakers, including representatives from the Scottish Government. The purpose of the roundtable was to discuss […]
JUSTICE are delighted to announce today that Seonaid Stevenson-McCabe will take on the role of Vice-Chair of JUSTICE Scotland, succeeding Catherine Smith QC as Vice-Chair of the Scottish branch of the law reform charity. JUSTICE has been at the forefront of law reform in the United Kingdom since 1957, aiming to promote a fairer and […]
JUSTICE, the leading charity for law reform and human rights across the UK, are looking for a Chair and Vice-Chair to lead their Scottish branch. Since launching in 2012, JUSTICE Scotland has become the leading voice on justice and rule of law issues in Scotland, as well as contributing to the organisation’s UK-wide work. Operating […]
JUSTICE Scotland has submitted a response to the Scottish Government regarding the Scottish Jury Research findings. We underline the important constitutional role that juries play in criminal trials and raise concerns about reforming aspects of the Scottish jury system. The Research is an interesting piece of work. It provides insight into the relationship between the […]
In JUSTICE Scotland’s view, during the strict lockdown period, it is not realistic to conduct any solemn trials requiring the physical presence of persons in the court room, whether with a jury or with a judge alone. Trials necessarily involve individuals travelling to court and remaining there for some time interacting with others. These features […]
JUSTICE has briefed the Scottish Parliament relating to Schedule 4 of the Bill on justice matters, ahead of Stage 1, and all stages, due to take place on 1st April 2020. We fully appreciate the pressure Scottish Government is under in responding to the outbreak of the coronavirus and understand that the measures proposed in […]
In the Autumn of 2019 Scottish Government consulted on the content and format of the Letter of Rights given to people who are arrested and held in police custody. Revision of the Letter of Rights was a recommendation of the JUSTICE Scotland working party on Legal Assistance in the Police Station. We responded to the […]
This Bill for an Act of the Scottish Parliament making provision about social security. The Bill, which is currently in its second stage, was introduced by the Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, Angela Constance MSP, on 20 June 2017. JUSTICE seeks to raise our concerns regarding the proposed offences set out in Part […]
As the makers of our laws, as our representatives, and in holding the Scottish Government to account, MSPs wear many hats. To support them in this, JUSTICE has published a new report, Law for Scottish lawmakers: A JUSTICE guide to the law. The report, an update of our 2015 Westminster focussed publication Law For lawmakers, […]
JUSTICE Student Network member Lidia Dancu gives her account of the Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC’s Human Rights Day lecture in Scotland. JUSTICE marked Human Rights Day 2016 with a lecture on fundamental rights and the prosecution of crime, held at the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh, Scotland. The lecture, held on Friday 9 December […]