Scottish Solicitors Bar Association @scotscrimbar Twitter profile

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA spoke to @HumzaYousaf today to try and resolve the issue of the failure to distribute the Resilience Fund, a vital lifeline for embattled firms. Unfortunately no clear assurances were given, so the nationwide court boycotts planned for tomorrow will take place #GownsDown

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

The following faculties have so far confirmed they will be boycotting juryless courts. Aberdeen, Airdrie, Ayr, Borders, Dumfries, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Glasgow, Hamilton, Highland & Moray, Paisley, Perth and West Lothian. More are meeting this week.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Statement from the SSBA

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

We can confirm that @SP_Justice has chosen not to invite @scotscrimbar to give evidence regarding parts 5 and 6 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. This includes the most controversial part of the Bill: juryless trials.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

8 months

As our VP @broon313 pointed out when giving evidence to @ScotGovJustice , you can call this a pilot or an experiment or whatever you want, but these are real people who will have real convictions. The SSBA will not be a party to this ill considered scheme.

ScotGov Justice

@ScotGovJustice

8 months

Justice Secretary @AConstance23 told @SP_Justice that running a pilot of judge-only rape trials will help to provide evidence and inform debate on how justice is best served in these challenging cases.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Dozens of solicitors braved the icy conditions outside the Scottish Parliament today to protest against @ScotGovJustice continuing failure to address the crisis in criminal legal aid. The protest coincides with a mass boycott of holiday custody courts all over the country.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

As of 31st March, criminal solicitors all over Scotland will no longer take on court appointments for those accused without lawyers who are not allowed to represent themselves.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

SSBA statement on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

One of the most disheartening things about the current legal aid crisis is the complete lack of engagement from @scotgov . An absolute refusal to even acknowledge there's a problem, let alone try and solve it.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

Excellent article in The Herald today on how the removal of juries threatens the right to a fair trial.

Guy Stenhouse: To impose jury-less trials on us is a threat to all our freedoms

Juries don’t have targets to hit, they don’t get any money either way, or promotion or fame, they don’t get re-educated if they reach the…

www.heraldscotland.com

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The SSBA is deeply saddened to hear of the death of Niall McCluskey, Advocate. He was a lovely man, and a big supporter of us when we started up, providing our first ever CPD presentation. He will be sorely missed.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA are concerned by developments at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today. Our representative attended to ensure custodies were aware of our action and their right to self-represent, and was asked by @SCTScourtstribs to leave the building.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The release of this statement coincides with the announcement that practitioners in Dumbarton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highlands & Moray and West Lothian will boycott custody courts this Monday in protest at the failure to distribute the promised resilience fund and traineeship fund.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The SSBA would like to thank @RealStephenKerr , @LiamKerrMSP , @KatySClark and @jamiegreeneUK for their efforts in the Scottish Parliament today. For too long @scotgov has ignored criminal legal aid, hopefully with attention now focused it's not too late to save the justice system

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

Refusing to listen to legitimate and justified criticisms of this undemocratic and dangerous reform does not negate those criticisms. It just means our national Parliament is being reduced to an echo chamber.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

It appears that there is no limit on the number of witnesses appearing before the committee who support the pilot. Yet those who oppose the pilot are being denied the opportunity to give evidence. This is unacceptable.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

During his cross-examination (and this is the right characterisation) of @broon313 , @JohnSwinney asked if @scotscrimbar believe in the Rule of Law (a clue- we do) and suggested that our planned boycott of juryless trials undermines the Rule of Law. What he must understand is

Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

Good reporting by @scottishlegal on our appearance before @ScotGovJustice yesterday.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

It is deeply concerning that @SP_Justice have made this decision, not least given the number of witnesses who (a) are funded, directly or indirectly, by @ScotGovJustice and (b) support the undemocratic pilot that have given or will be giving evidence before the committee.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

Defence lawyers say pilot on juryless trials would be 'an affront to justice'

Defence lawyers say juryless trials would be 'an affront to justice'

DEFENCE solicitors have called plans by the Scottish Government to run a pilot on trials for serious sex offences without juries "an affront to…

www.heraldscotland.com

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

We can now confirm that Aberdeen Bar Association, Caithness, Wigtownshire, Campbeltown, Oban, Dunoon, Greenock and the Royal Faculty of Procurators in Glasgow have endorsed the statement. Greenock are also boycotting their custody court on Monday.

Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The release of this statement coincides with the announcement that practitioners in Dumbarton, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highlands & Moray and West Lothian will boycott custody courts this Monday in protest at the failure to distribute the promised resilience fund and traineeship fund.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

The SSBA is the leading criminal defence solicitor representative body and will inevitably act as the focal point in coordinating the promised boycott of any juryless trials. We are already taking steps to consider our position and protect our members’ interests in this regard.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

We are delighted that @SP_Justice have reconsidered: we will be giving evidence to the committee on 6th February. We look forward to making our case that jury trials should be preserved to protect Scots and Scottish democracy.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

We are losing confidence in @SP_Justice ’s scrutiny of the juryless trials pilot aspect of the legislation and we will require to consider our next steps to protect our members, our clients and our democracy.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Saw a colleague get a hard time from a Sheriff today for not being in court when a case called. Fact is he was from a firm that's lost 50% of its lawyers in the last year or so, and he was being asked to cover 3 courts at once. This is the future of the criminal bar. #WeTurnedUp

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA is disappointed to have to announce a further escalation in the ongoing dispute between the criminal bar and @scotgov . None of us want to leave clients unrepresented, but the lack of engagement from @AshtenRegan leaves us little choice...

Lawyers boycott domestic abuse cases in legal aid dispute

A dispute over fixed fees could result in cases being hit by major delays, affecting alleged victims and the accused.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

The Scottish Parliament doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to reforming the criminal justice system (Remember the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act?) and juryless trials is only the latest example of this. However it is also the most dangerous and undemocratic.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

We call on @SCTScourtstribs to publicly and immediately confirm that all courts are public buildings and no solicitor will be denied entry, and for @PoliceScotland to confirm their impartiality in this matter.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

In many cases it appears that the politicians- who are nominally meant to be scrutinising the legislation- are more enthusiastic proponents of the pilot than the thoughtful, considered and articulate witnesses appearing before @SP_Justice .

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

The best way to defend democracy is to protect trial by jury. We will, of course, continue to speak up for both the Rule of Law and democracy and we would urge @JohnSwinney to do so the same.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

On this fundamental point, there will be no compromise. We will not be complicit as the rights of the accused are removed before our eyes. We reiterate our opposition to the pilot. Good luck to @ScotGovJustice making it work without us.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

The accused may not be able to opt out, but the lawyers certainly can...

The Herald

@heraldscotland

1 year

The Justice Secretary made the position clear when giving evidence to MSPs examining the Scottish Government's reforms to the criminal justice system

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

4 years

This is disgraceful. No one should receive abuse like this for doing their job. @scotscrimbar is firmly behind @AamerAnwar . #WeTurnedUp

Aamer Anwar✊🏾🏳️‍🌈#BlackLivesMatter

@AamerAnwar

4 years

On a daily basis I’ve been sent racist abuse by email/social media since representing @GlenKamara4 over racist abuse he received, something I’ve had to deal with over the years-but 4 examples below from last 24 hours pale into insignificance to the tirade of abuse Glen has had

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

It's not hard to understand the unease universally felt by legal professionals when what we see here is a policy round table discussing unprecedented court reform without a single person who actually works in the court being involved.

Humza Yousaf

@HumzaYousaf

1 year

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @scotgov has published The Victims, Witnesses & Justice Reform Bill, which will ensure victims are treated with compassion & their voices heard across the justice system. Grateful to the victims & campaigners who offered their views earlier with Justice Secretary @AConstance23

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

. @ScotGovJustice have introduced legislation that removes and then excludes the public from a system that we will still be expected to pay for. It is incumbent upon @ScotParl to protect the rights of ordinary Scots, who face becoming victims of a miscarriage of justice if this

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

This follows on from the mass withdrawal from the Duty Solicitor scheme, and escalates the protest against the abject failure of @scotgov to properly fund the criminal defence sector.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Vague promises will not cut it at this stage, and unless this issue is resolved further action cannot and will not be ruled out. @ScotGovJustice are trying to portray this as a successful initiative welcomed by the profession, when in truth it is an abject failure. #WeTurnedUp

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

How can @scotgov can say they are "continuing to support" justice agencies when they've just announced a further 5 year freeze to legal aid rates that are already the same now as they were 23 years ago? The criminal bar is dying on your watch @AshtenRegan and @KeithBrownSNP .

Jamie Greene MSP

@jamiegreeneUK

2 years

Victims of crime will have to wait even for longer for justice if the SNP's proposed cuts go ahead ⬇️

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Court appointments are the most difficult of cases, usually with vulnerable witnesses, and for pay well below the already wholly inadequate regular legal aid rates. It was work we accepted as essential for the smooth running of our overworked criminal courts. No longer.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The pay rise announced today does not even keep pace with inflation, let alone make up for 25 years of underfunding. Without immediate and extensive investment the criminal defence sector in Scotland faces imminent collapse. #WeTurnedUp

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

Frances McMenamin KC "Criminal solicitors are dropping like flies. They can’t afford to run their businesses any more. You used to have huge firms doing criminal work and that’s all gone. Legal aid has got a lot to answer for. They are just not paying people what they are worth"

The Sunday Post

@Sunday_Post

2 years

Frances McMenamin KC, the most senior woman at the Scottish Bar, has revealed her fears that Scotland’s judicial system may soon, if proposals for judge-only trials go ahead, be on the verge of a misguided and dangerous misstep.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA are fully behind our colleagues from the Aberdeen Bar Association, @EdinBarAssoc and @GlasgowBarAssoc in their boycott of the extra #COP26 custody courts imposed on the profession without consultation, and their subsequent withdrawal from the duty plans for these courts.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA are fully supportive of the recent action taken by the GBA and ABA in boycotting holiday courts. The pay disparity between the criminal bar and all other parties has been well rehearsed, but this is about more than money, it is about work/life balance.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Tremendous effort from @GlasgowBarAssoc boycotting today's custody court. With solidarity amongst all local agents, the court has only just finished at 10.35pm. This is what the future of criminal law will look like without urgent investment. #GownsDown

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

When meeting with @AConstance23 last summer, bar associations and @scotscrimbar made clear there were no circumstances in which we would support the pilot. To be clear, no increase in the funding available for those participating will make any difference.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Yesterday was International Worker's Day. Despite it being a holiday, custody courts sat all over Scotland. Every participant in these courts, PF, clerks, police, custody officers, got enhanced pay due to the past efforts of trade unions. Every participant except one.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

pilot is introduced. Trump’s America is the latest example of how fragile democracies are. More often than not, democracies are lost by accident rather than by intention. This is the challenge of our time. Instead the Scottish Parliament is, once again, descending to the occasion

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Dumbarton Sheriff Court today. Another empty building, hopefully this will not become the norm... #GownsDown

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The SSBA are wholeheartedly in support of our colleagues in England and Wales. No legal professional wants to leave clients unrepresented, it goes against everything we stand for, but enough is enough. It seems like strike action is the only thing governments will listen to...

The CBA

@TheCriminalBar

2 years

CBA Ballot Announcement - 20.06.22 -

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

Our proposed boycott is a principled stance to protect both the Rule of Law and Scottish democracy. It is frankly depressing that sections of our @ScotParl have descended into becoming cheerleaders for legislation that is undemocratic and frankly dangerous.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Once again the silence from @KeithBrownSNP and @AshtenRegan is deafening. Do the 'progressive' @theSNP government really want to be lagging behind a Tory Westminster on this issue? Our proposals are clear, reasonable and supported by facts, so let's have a meaningful discussion?

Law Society Scotland

@Lawscot

3 years

Following today’s announcement on the significant funding boost for legal aid in England and Wales we call for @scotgov to follow suit to resolve the current legal aid crisis in Scotland – read our comment ▶️

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@scotscrimbar

1 year

With numbers in criminal defence at an all-time low, this is an utterly ridiculous policy. Yet again we are expected to make bricks from straw. Can the court explain how we are supposed to run a business while sitting around a court all week on the off chance a trial might start?

Matthew O'Neill

@GSLP_Matthew

1 year

All Elgin S&J trials were moved to Inverness - an hour plus drive away for accused and solicitors. Now all Elgin solicitors and their clients are to sit around, an hour plus away from home, offices and other work needing to be done, just in case.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA is fully behind Edinburgh in their response to Saturday's unprecedented interference in a solicitor doing his job, for what on the face of it appear to be purely political reasons. The rest of Scotland will be watching closely, this affects us all, and we expect answers.

Edinburgh Bar Assoc.

@EdinBarAssoc

3 years

We have sent the letter noted on our website at to the Sheriff Clerks at Edinburgh noting the action we are taking in response to yesterday's intrusion into work being carried out by one of our representatives in the Court cells.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

Politicians are temporary custodians of our democracy, they must protect it. Unfortunately it appears that some are trying, for reasons of political expediency, to undermine it. There is nothing inevitable about democracy winning over authoritarianism.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The SSBA are disappointed to once again see @scotgov fail to invest in the Criminal Justice system. The silence from @KeithBrownSNP and @AshtenRegan is deafening. Read our latest statement here.

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@scotscrimbar

2 years

1330 drugs deaths is a scandal. For many people these are just numbers, but for defence lawyers they are our clients, people we may have represented for years.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Over the last two days we have seen two disturbing threads that that highlight the scale of the crisis being faced by the criminal bar.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Custody courts all over Scotland have been quiet today as defence solicitors boycotted them in pursuit of a fairer deal from @ScotGovJustice on the Resilience Fund, Traineeship Fund and Legal Aid. This lack of representation will sadly become the norm if this is not resolved.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA are disappointed to read the response from @scotgovjustice to the decision of local bars not to participate in the onerous task of staffing the COP26 custody courts. They are disappointed in us? Try being undervalued for a generation.

ScotGov Justice

@ScotGovJustice

3 years

Community Safety Minister @AshtenRegan has written to the presidents of two key legal bodies ahead of COP26 Letters went to @Lawscot & @scotscrimbar underlining @scotgov 's extensive engagement with the sector in the run up to the climate summit ▶️

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

What is worse, we understand that court staff asked Police officers to remove him from the building. We note the PDSO, who are duty and have no custodies, were allowed to remain. This behaviour is totally unacceptable.

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@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA are immensely proud of the effort put in by our colleagues from @EdinBarAssoc and @GlasgowBarAssoc today. Unity will win this battle. To add your voice, would all criminal defence solicitors please join us. Email your name and details to thessba21 @gmail .com. #WeTurnedUp

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

11 months

🚍This week in the world of GeoAmey delays🚍 This morning an accused appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court and received a custodial sentence. The Court then waited over 15 minute for a GeoAmey officer to attend court to bring the accused down to the cells. 1/

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

This. Just, this. Heartbreaking blog from @Joanna__Hardy . Applies equally to the Scottish Criminal Bar.

Guest post by Joanna Hardy-Susskind: Attrition

In 1999, Baz Luhrmann topped the UK charts with ‘Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)’. We used to play that song on the drive to school. I was 12. My mum drove a banger that we called Bessie. “Com…

thesecretbarrister.com

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The SSBA are fully behind our colleagues in England and Wales taking part in today's #barristerstrike . How long before an independent criminal bar disappears on both sides of the border through lack of government action? #GownsDown #DefendLegalAid

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@scotscrimbar

9 months

The Bill does not introduce a compulsion for solicitors to accept instructions in any case and therefore when considering the issue narrowly Mr Swinney’s concern regarding the Rule of Law does not arise. The Bill introduces an unacceptable level of political interference into

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

Our independent legal system. For reasons that have eluded us entirely, the government will be marking the judiciary’s homework throughout the pilot. The only objective criteria of success of the pilot is the conviction rate. Judges will come undermine enormous public

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

Barristers and solicitors in England and Wales are voting on strike action, on shutting the justice system down. Is that what it will take to get @scotgov to come to the table?

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@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA would like to make it crystal clear that our dialogue with @HumzaYousaf is about our concerns over the criminal bar. His family, religion or ethnicity have no place in this, or indeed any, discussion. Comments on these lines will be blocked.

Humza Yousaf

@HumzaYousaf

3 years

Can I say I don't mind members of legal profession attacking me personally, but would appreciate if you could leave my family & wife's family who are in Gaza out of it please. Some demand a response on twitter but my notifications v limited so plz email: CabSecJustice @gov .scot

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@scotscrimbar

11 months

Some headlines write themselves- @scotgov squanders £3.5m to keep prosecutors toasty whilst dozens of potential defence trainees are kept out in the cold 1/ Crown Office heat pump ‘experiment’ to cost taxpayers £3.5m @timesscotland

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@scotscrimbar

9 months

Good reporting by @scottishlegal on our appearance before @ScotGovJustice yesterday.

Juryless trials pilot unlikely to get off the ground

Almost all of Scotland's defence solicitors are prepared to boycott the Scottish government's proposed juryless trials pilot, meaning it will most likely not run. Appearing before MSPs on Holyrood's...

www.scottishlegal.com

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@scotscrimbar

2 years

Excellent article in today's Herald. One would assume @KeithBrownSNP and @AshtenRegan would be keen to read about Scotland's 'entire criminal justice system on brink of collapse'...

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@scotscrimbar

2 years

@scotgov should watch this video and wonder what they will do when there are no independent criminal lawyers left... A terrible shame to see a young lawyer as talented as @lawisnowblonde feeling she has to abandon a career she's worked so hard to achieve.

WIN 20220619 16 47 05 Pro

Leaving defence, my thoughts.

www.youtube.com

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@scotscrimbar

9 months

(And presumably private) pressure from the tabloid media and the special interest groups to make the “correct” decision in these sensitive cases. Judges are human and this pressure will inevitably have an impact on their judgement. There is no safeguard to protect accused persons

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@scotscrimbar

9 months

Credible and distinguished figures within the legal profession are already expressing concerns about the impact this pilot will have on our independent legal system. The proposed political interference in the justice system is the real threat to the Rule of Law.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA are disappointed to see that once again @SCTScourtstribs have scheduled extra weekend courts without any consultation with the criminal bar. In several courts throughout Scotland extra courts have been fixed for Saturdays and Sundays during the #COP26 summit.

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@scotscrimbar

2 years

Criminal lawyers celebrating their 76p in 23 years pay rise....

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

It was interesting to hear @AshtenRegan tell @gordonchree tonight how she is engaging with us. She didn't mention how she didn't attend today's meeting with the Law Society, or that the "new proposal" she crowed about in Parliament is exactly the same as the one already rejected.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

The SSBA is pleased to announce the election of Stuart Murray as our new President and Simon Brown as our new Vice President. We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank outgoing President Julia McPartlin for her outstanding contribution over the last couple of years.

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@scotscrimbar

2 years

Excellent from @jamiegreeneUK today on the crisis facing the Criminal bar, highlighting that the very future of the justice system is threatened. Unfortunately met with the usual vague assertions that @AshtenRegan is listening... Not sure who she's listening to, but it's not us..

Jamie Greene MSP

@jamiegreeneUK

2 years

Scotland's legal aid sector is in crisis, arguably in its worst position since devolution. Flagship laws to tackle domestic abuse aren't enough if the cases don't get to court. Today, I asked the SNP Minister: "What are you doing to fix it?" ⬇️

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@scotscrimbar

9 months

Submitting evidence isn’t a prerequisite to giving oral evidence to the committee. @SP_Justice have invited the SSBA and at least one bar association to give evidence during other chapters of scrutinising the Bill without having previously submitted evidence.

PeatWorrier

@PeatWorrier

9 months

This complaint would be more powerful if the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association had submitted evidence to the Committee last year when everyone had the opportunity to do. Looking at the 261 published responses to the Bill consultation - they don't seem to have done so.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

Excellent article by @GlasgowAdvocate in today's Scottish Sun, with editorial support for the fight against juryless trials.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

(Or indeed complainers) against this concern. We would also draw @JohnSwinney to Lord Uist’s article in @ScottishLegal regarding his concerns that the Bill will have on judicial independence

Lord Uist: Shocking provisions in new justice bill must be removed

Roderick Macdonald, Lord Uist, warns that the Scottish government's new justice bill features two provisions which are "constitutionally repugnant" and must be removed. On 26 April 2023 the Scottish...

www.scottishlegal.com

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

9 months

As well as Sheriff Sheehan’s submission on behalf of the Sheriffs and Summary Sheriffs’ Association regarding the impact that any pilot may have on judicial welfare and the pressure the judiciary will be under to make the “right” decision.

Juryless trials: Sheriffs warn of danger to judges

Sheriffs have warned of a danger to judges who preside over juryless trials as their verdicts would come under public scrutiny. In a submission to MSPs commenting on a proposed pilot that would see...

www.scottishlegal.com

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

This is the reality of our collapsing criminal justice system. A generation of underfunding has left too few lawyers to cope with the demand, and without urgent and significant investment the problem will only increase. @KeithBrownSNP and @AshtenRegan , we're still waiting...

Vincent McGovern

@vgmcgovern

2 years

The cost of the strategy of underfunding legal aid . Two jury trial courts ready to start a trial with witnesses ready, prosecutor, clerk , sheriff and court staff in place but no defence lawyer who was engaged in an ongoing jury trial.This is what happens .

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

4 years

One of the fundamental principles of the SSBA is to ensure that the criminal bar not only survives but is able to grow and thrive. The future of the profession is in danger as never before, with entry to the criminal bar at an all time low.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Coverage of Monday's action on the BBC. No one wanted it to get to this, but when the Scottish government allocate less than 10% of the money saved during the pandemic to embattled firms, something had to be done. #WeTurnedUp

Covid in Scotland: Criminal defence lawyers to boycott courts

The Scottish Solicitors Bar Association says the action on Monday is over a lack of Covid support funding.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

To try and spin the Resilience Fund as supporting legal aid solicitors is laughable. Less than 25% of the sum promised paid out, at the same time as @ScotsLegalAid saved over £20 million in costs due to pandemic court closures. The very existence of the criminal bar is threatened

ScotGov Justice

@ScotGovJustice

3 years

As well as delivering the first stage of an uplift to legal aid fees of more than 10% over the next two year, @scotgov launched a Resilience Fund to support legal aid solicitors during the pandemic.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

4 years

To try and turn this around and ensure the future of the profession has a voice, we are happy to welcome student membership applications from any interested law students. Contact us with your details at thessba21 @gmail .com

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

1 year

🚨 #AbateTheRegister 🚨 Following a FOI request from the SSBA, @ScotsLegalAid confirmed that as at 1st June 2023, there were 975 practitioners registered to provide criminal legal assistance. Given this relatively high number, it is little wonder that SLAB have complacently 1/

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

As #COP26 begins, the SSBA continues to support colleagues boycotting the extra custody courts imposed upon us. We have repeatedly made it clear that this is not an opportunistic action to make a quick buck, but a heartfelt attempt to draw attention to the crisis in criminal law.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA supports and applauds all those colleagues boycotting the holiday custody court in Dumfries today. @ScotGovJustice must realise that with a profession at breaking point, removing our few holidays without any consultation or remuneration is the final straw. #GownsDown

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

4 years

Disappointing to hear the review of the disastrous administration of the resilience fund won't now happen until after the election. A slap in the face to the criminal bar and in particular to all the hard work done by @IanMoir5 and @Lawscot in bringing @HumzaYousaf to the table.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA has today issued a response to the letter from @AshtenRegan regarding the current crisis in the criminal legal aid sector.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

It's important to clarify the action that we in Scotland and our colleagues in E&W are taking. We are not going on strike. We are simply choosing not to take on work for which we are not properly paid, but which is essential to the smooth operation of our overburdened courts.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

This situation will only escalate unless @ScotGovJustice begin meaningful negotiations. The Criminal Bar is on its knees. #WeTurnedUp

The Press and Journal

@pressjournal

3 years

No city defence solicitors were present to cover 18 custody hearings yesterday at Aberdeen Sheriff Court due to the ongoing row over pay.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The ignorance displayed towards @lawisnowblonde by @KeithBrownSNP is despicable. Not at all surprising if you had any knowledge of his complete lack of engagement with the legal profession as a whole, but despicable non the less.

Lyndsey Barber

@lawisnowblonde

2 years

@KeithBrownSNP

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

The SSBA will be protesting against the continuing failure of the Scottish Government to properly fund the Criminal Justice system. Join us tomorrow outside Holyrood at 12 noon. In addition, our boycotting of holiday courts will continue.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

These threads shows what happens when a profession is stretched to breaking point. It breaks.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

2 years

The opposition parties recognise the problem. @jamiegreeneUK and @LiamKerrMSP have raised the issue regularly, as has @KatySClark . Yet from the party of government, who only yesterday were praising the lawyers who blocked the Rwanda flight, nothing.

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Following today's withdrawal of labour in Glasgow and Aberdeen, with support expressed from virtually every other jurisdiction, one would think the Justice Secretary might have a comment? But we've heard nothing from @KeithBrownSNP . #GownsDownwheresBrown

Glasgow Bar Association

@GlasgowBarAssoc

3 years

Direct link here..

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Scottish Solicitors Bar Association

@scotscrimbar

3 years

Front page story in today’s Sunday Herald on the crisis in Scotland's criminal courts, but still no comment from @KeithBrownSNP or @AshtenRegan . #WeTurnedUp

The Herald

@heraldscotland

3 years

Claims say people are being arrested and appearing in court without having once met a solicitor

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