News In Focus
7 May 2008
Work-to-rule lawyers disrupt sheriff court
Custody cases at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday were not dealt with appropriately, according to Glasgow Bar Association whose members worked to rule yesterday in protest at the Scottish Government's proposals for legal aid payments.
The association said that in some cases people had been remanded in custody without being represented by a solicitor. The 120 people in court yesterday were handled by four duty solicitors and were unable to pick a solicitor of choice because of the association's action.
The association said it was worried people's human rights had been breached, as the right to legal representation is one of those obligations.
The Scottish Government has said the reforms, which will come into effect in June, are "necessary and inevitable".