30.11.05 Success of High Court reforms

Preliminary hearings lead to more pleading guilty earlier

30.11.05 Criminal appeal figures show sharp increase

Average time to disposal increases, but backlog now cleared

30.11.05 Police call for minimum term for knife crime

Superintendents Association wants mandatory 18 month jail term

29.11.05 Richey back on death row

US Supreme Court reverses decision to overturn Kenny Richey's murder conviction

29.11.05 Kilmarnock district fiscal appointed

Les Brown is new District Procurator Fiscal

28.11.05 Society calls for independent complaints body

Solicitors' body recognises desire for more demonstrably independent system to hear professional service complaints

28.11.05 First full-time managing partner for Miller Samuel

Diane Cairney takes up role ahead of firm's planned expansion into Edinburgh

28.11.05 Two DLA Piper partners join Tods Murray

Jack Gardiner and Bill Ferrie swell Glasgow office partner numbers

28.11.05 Holyrood focuses on EU legal burden

Committee to look how directives are implemented in bid to cut burden on business

28.11.05 Greens look at legal route to air quality

Party explores action to force Glasgow City Council to cut pollution

25.11.05 Changes to regulations for Irish law society

New rules following OFT investigation will result in "greater competition"

25.11.05 DLA Piper forms dedicated health care team

Associate Caroline Stockwell will spearhead health and social care initiative

25.11.05 Housing Bill approved by Parliament

Single survey and purchasers' packs on their way by 2007

24.11.05 Lord Hamilton is new Lord President

First Minister welcomes appointment of an "outstanding individual"

24.11.05 Emergency deal on legal aid fees

Scottish Executive agrees improvements after advocates withdraw

23.11.05 Executive to widen loss of family claims

Same-sex partners, grandparents and siblings to win right to seek damages in death actions

23.11.05 Solicitor questions legality of Skye bridge toll

Highland Council legal chief says licence "questionable" if it was not signed

22.11.05 Reforms to bankruptcy and diligence published

Unified debt recovery system will mean more effective enforcement, says minister

22.11.05 Low takeup of Asbos for under 16s

Council leader says children's hearing system needs to adapt to the new law

22.11.05 Executive takes crofting dispute to Land Court

Ruling to be given on schemes alleged to frustrate crofting community right to buy

22.11.05 152 teams chase Society debate prize

Sixth Law Society of Scotland Donald Dewar Debating Tournament attracts record entry

21.11.05 Harper Macleod launches employer protection scheme

Package of legal services and insurance against HR problems "first of its kind in Scotland"

21.11.05 Anderson Strathern appoints head of family law

Susan MacLeod joins firm to provide "holistic approach"

21.11.05 Second "big four" firm goes for LLP status

Maclay, Murray & Spens signals intent by registering limited liability partnership

18.11.05 New solicitors welcomed by profession

Society welcomes 55 new starts at Edinburgh ceremony

18.11.05 Confusion in Scotland over "most wanted" list

Police and Crown Office deny failure to co-operate as website goes live

18.11.05 Society's appeal on misconduct finding refused

Discipline Tribunal entitled to hold misconduct not established in mortgage reports

18.11.05 Speeding fine quashed after Commission intervenes

OAP who could not produce licence allowed fixed penalty level fine

17.11.05 Group recommends new offence of corporate killing

Executive to review law on corporate homicide after group's recommendations

17.11.05 Another change to off-licence hours as bill passed

Last-minute amendment in parliament cuts off-sale times to 12 hours a day

17.11.05 Lord Cullen orders legal aid case inquiry

QC declines legal aid fee and claims Board attempted to postpone case

16.11.05 Error letter did not bar Crown from prosecuting

Letter referring to wrong case did not abandon proceedings, appeal court rules

16.11.05 Off-sales hours drama as bill reaches final stage

Opposition fears 3am-10pm opening will fuel Scotland's binge drinking culture

15.11.05 New partner for Gillespie Macandrew

Christian Melville's appointment takes partner numbers up to 20

15.11.05 Lord McCluskey accuses ministers of interference

Judge attacks process of selecting next Lord President

15.11.05 Glasgow joins standard missives club

Standard form launches this week to speed up housebuying process

14.11.05 McClure Naismith appoints new IP/IT partner

David Gourlay joins from Dundas & Wilson

14.11.05 ECHR threat to change in march rules

Councils warn that right of assembly carries more clout than public view of sectarian marches

14.11.05 Orkney legal aid row costs taxpayers thousands

PDSO solicitor is flown in after local lawyers pull out of duty solicitor scheme

11.11.05 Prosecutors to swap roles

Airdire and Hamilton district procurator fiscals exchange jobs

11.11.05 Environment crime moves up the agenda

Scottish Executive looking proposals for specialist environmental court

11.11.05 Sectarian crime figures up following Act

Religious aggravation law leads to increase in court cases

11.11.05 Ex-fiscal's stress case thrown out

Judge dismisses £120,000 claim for stress at work

10.11.05 Poisoned meal leads to £1.2 million damages

Severe arthritis results in payment for lost earnings and care costs

10.11.05 Anti-competitive ruling on private school fees

OFT investigation claims exchanges of information resulted in parents paying more

10.11.05 MSP attempts to revive smacking ban proposal

Charities back amendment to Family Law Bill

09.11.05 Money still the big issue between genders in law

Law Society of Scotland/EOC research reveals wide pay disparity between male and female solicitors

09.11.05 £1.5m savings claim challenged

Police chief has "no idea" where Executive got fingerprint savings figure from

09.11.05 Smoking ban's 6am start on 26 March

Executive announces exact hour ban starts, along with guidance for enforcement

08.11.05 Legal firm to support charity with learning advice

Harper Macleod joins National Autistic Society to provide advocacy service under new Act

08.11.05 Judge reaffirms Crown bail say

Sheriff wrong to refuse bail where unopposed by Crown

08.11.05 Public order laws uncosted, say police

Police chiefs fear other cuts will be needed when new powers come in

08.11.05 CSA presses for tagging powers

Row over whether Agency doing enough to collect child support arrears

07.11.05 Court reform delay questioned in Commons

Perth MP wants progress on freeing up legal representation

07.11.05 Management of Offenders Bill approved

Bill expected to become law in new year

04.11.05 New equality rules for disabled people

In-house Lawyers' Group annual gathering hears of new equality rules for public bodies

04.11.05 Councils get cash for anti-smoking enforcers

Executive provides funds for two employees per authority to patrol smoking ban

03.11.05 CPD goes DVD

The first training DVD is available from the Update department for continuing professional development purposes

03.11.05 Agents breaking prison rules

Some agents have been attempting to enter Kilmarnock Prison on client visits with unauthorised items

03.11.05 More than £800,000 awarded for advice projects

Scottish Legal Aid Board secures funding for projects to benefit vulnerable people

03.11.05 Direct debits: not the client account

Guarantee Fund Committee advice that variable direct debit payments should be set up against an account other than the principal client account

03.11.05 From the Brussels office

Update on changes at the European Court, and the future for contract law in the EU

03.11.05 Accountant in Bankruptcy to move to Kilwinning

Agency move is latest part of Executive's policy of government decentralisation

03.11.05 Justice Committee votes to delay divorces

Amendment to Family Law Bill would mean compromise separation periods

03.11.05 Civil justice system needs urgent review, says SCC

Consumer Council report says public find system too slow, expensive and complex

03.11.05 Fiscal arrested over sex act

Senior Glasgow prosecutor caught with vice girl after leaving police function

02.11.05 Senior sheriff to retire

Sheriff Albert Sheehan's 46-year legal career ends this month

02.11.05 Law to target those buying sex

Soliciting offence to be scrapped by Executive

01.11.05 New bodies to tackle reoffending rates

Executive announces eight new Criminal Justice Authorities

01.11.05 Society launches equality and diversity strategy

Strategy goes further than the requirements of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act

01.11.05 Fife firms to merge

Murray Donald & Caithness joins Drummond Cook & Mackintosh

01.11.05 Council offers free legal advice to staff

Glasgow offers to pay for independent advice on equal pay deal if staff reject "no win, no fee" lawyers

01.11.05 Tough new laws for drivers causing death

"Causing death by careless driving" to feature in new Road Safety Bill