The Court of Session is the highest national court of Scotland in civil cases. The court was established in 1532 to take on the judicial functions of the royal council. Its jurisdiction overlapped with other royal,state and church courts but as those were disbanded,the role of the Court of Session ascended. The Acts of Union establishing the United Kingdom provided that the court will "remain in all time coming".
The Lord Justice Clerk is the second most senior judge in Scotland,after the Lord President of the Court of Session. The current Lord Justice Clerk is Leeona Dorrian,Lady Dorrian,who was appointed to the position on 13 April 2016. in June 2024 Lady Dorrian has announced her intention to retire from judicial office on 3 February 2025.
Edinburgh Law School,founded in 1707,is a school within the University of Edinburgh,Scotland,United Kingdom dedicated to research and teaching in law. It is located in the historic Old College,the original site of the University. Two of the twelve currently sitting Supreme Court of the United Kingdom justices are graduates of Edinburgh,including the current President and Deputy President.
Colin Boyd,Baron Boyd of Duncansby,is a former Scottish judge who was a Senator of the College of Justice from June 2012 to June 2024. He was Lord Advocate for Scotland from 24 February 2000 until his resignation on 4 October 2006. On 11 April 2006,Downing Street announced that Colin Boyd would take a seat as a crossbench life peer;however,he took the Labour whip after resigning as Lord Advocate. He was formally introduced in the House of Lords on 3 July 2006. On the day SNP leader Alex Salmond was elected First Minister of Scotland,it was reported that Boyd was quitting the Scottish Bar to become a part-time consultant with public law solicitors Dundas &Wilson. He told the Glasgow Herald,"This is a first. I don't think a Lord Advocate has ever done this—left the Bar and become a solicitor."
Brian Gill,Lord Gill,KSG FRSE FRSAMD FRSCM is a retired Scottish judge and legal academic. Lord Gill was Lord President and Lord Justice General and held that position for three years from 2012 until 2015. His 2007 to 2009 consultation and report into the failings of the Scottish legal system was followed by a major overhaul of the entire court system once he had been appointed Lord President.
Donald Sage Mackay,Baron Mackay of Drumadoon,PC was a British judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland,and a Lord Advocate,the country's senior Law Officer. He was also one of five additional Lords of Appeal in the House of Lords,where he sat as a crossbencher.
Andrew Rutherford Hardie,Baron Hardie,is a former Senator of the College of Justice,a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland,and a former Lord Advocate,the country's senior Law Officer. He led the prosecution team in the preparation of the original Lockerbie bombing trial,but resigned as Lord Advocate shortly before the trial commenced in 2000.
Kenneth John Cameron,Baron Cameron of Lochbroom PC FRSE is a Scottish retired judge who served as Lord Advocate from 1984 to 1989.
Alan Ferguson Rodger,Baron Rodger of Earlsferry was a Scottish academic,lawyer,and Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
The Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial began on 3 May 2000,more than 11 years after the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988. The 36-week bench trial took place at a specially convened Scottish Court in the Netherlands set up under Scots law and held at a disused United States Air Force base called Camp Zeist near Utrecht.
Lord Cullen may refer to:
A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) is a Scottish judicial process which investigates and determines the circumstances of some deaths occurring in Scotland. Until 2009,they did not apply to any deaths occurring in other jurisdictions,when the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 extended the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 to service personnel at the discretion of the Chief Coroner or the Secretary of State. The equivalent process in England and Wales is an inquest. A major review of the fatal accident inquiries was undertaken by Lord Cullen of Whitekirk,at the request of the Scottish Government,which resulted in the passing of the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016.
Arthur Campbell Hamilton,Lord Hamilton,,is a Scottish judge and served as Lord Justice General and Lord President of the Court of Session from November 2005 until 8 June 2012,succeeding Lord Cullen.
James John Clyde,Baron Clyde,PC was a Scottish judge.
Robert Younger,Baron Blanesburgh was a British barrister and judge. The scion of a Scottish brewing family,he practised at the bar of England and Wales,before being appointed to the High Court in 1915,the Court of Appeal in 1919,and the House of Lords in 1923. He served as a law lord until 1937,when failing eyesight forced his retirement.
Francis Mulholland,Lord Mulholland,is a Scottish judge who has been a Senator of the College of Justice since 2016. He previously served from 2011 to 2016 as Lord Advocate,one of the Great Officers of State of Scotland and the country's chief Law Officer,and as Solicitor General,the junior Law Officer.
Stephen Errol Woolman,Lord Woolman,,is a Scottish legal academic,and a retired Senator of the College of Justice.
William Austin Nimmo Smith is a former Senator of the College of Justice,a judge of the Supreme Courts of Scotland,sitting in the High Court of Justiciary and the Inner House of the Court of Session. He retired from this position on 30 September 2009.
Paul Benedict Cullen,Lord Pentland,is a former Solicitor General for Scotland,a Senator of the College of Justice and former chairman of the Scottish Law Commission.
Events from the year 2001 in Scotland.
