Weekly roundup of Scots law in the headlines including Lord Advocate's dual role, Dunblane and assisted dying — Monday March 16

This week's review of all the latest headlines from the world of Scots law and beyond includes discussion of the dual role of the Lord Advocate as well as lengthy assisted dying debate.

Government rules out changes to lord advocate dual role

The Scottish government has ruled out changes to the dual role of the country's top law officer, despite recent controversy over the sharing of information relating to former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell — writes the BBC.

Opposition politicians criticised Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC after it emerged she had briefed First Minister John Swinney on Murrell's case.

The Lord Advocate acts as head of Scotland's prosecution service but also has a ministerial role as chief legal advisor to the Scottish government.

• Government rules out changes to lord advocate dual role (BBC)
• Scottish Law Officers: roles and functions research report (Scottish Government)
• Scottish Government publishes lord advocate dual role report (Holyrood)
• [£] Options to split Lord advocate's dual roles revealed after Peter Murrell memo row (Scotsman)
• [£] MP calls for Lord Advocate’s dual role to be axed following briefings (Herald)
• Fresh bid to split lord advocate’s job through Westminster bill (Scottish Legal News)

'Our children paid the ultimate price' – How the Dunblane school shooting changed Britain

Even after 30 years, the facts of the Dunblane massacre are hard to comprehend.

On the morning of Wednesday 13 March 1996, a gunman entered the gymnasium of the town's primary school and, over the course of less than four minutes, murdered 16 children and their teacher - reports the BBC

• 'Our children paid the ultimate price' – How the Dunblane school shooting changed Britain (BBC)
• [£] Dunblane massacre: How a town healed from the UK’s deadliest mass shooting (Times)
• [£] One Morning in March: Dunblane and the Shooting that Changed Britain, by Stephen McGinty review: 'impressive' (Scotsman)
• MSPs mark 30th anniversary of Dunblane shooting at emotional FMQs (National)
• Dunblane 30 years: 'Vigilance must be constant’ warning (Herald)
• John Swinney pays emotional tribute to Dunblane massacre victims on 30th anniversary (Daily Record)

MSPs debate amendments to assisted dying bill

The Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill would allow terminally-ill, mentally competent adults to seek medical help to end their lives, reports the BBC.

• Lanarkshire MSPs join group of parliamentarians to support Assisted Dying Bill (Daily Record)
• [£] Three powerful reasons why Scotland's Assisted Dying Bill should not be passed (Scotsman)
• Assisted dying Bill reaches final stage at Holyrood (STV)
• Scottish Secretary insists UK government 'will not stand in way' of assisted dying law amid row (Scotsman)
• Scottish assisted dying debate extended as MSPs 'way behind' (National)

And in other news

Legal headlines from across the UK and beyond:

• Domestic abuser convicted of killing wife who jumped from bridge (BBC)
• Judge makes first 'statutory SLAPP' declaration (Gazette)
• Death of 19-year-old at Polmont YOI (Scottish Legal News)
• Geoffrey Cox's impassioned speech in defence of juries (X)
• The progressive realist case to fix our broken courts - David Lammy (New Statesman)
• Rape victims to get specialised legal advice in courts (BBC)
• Eni Aluko wins Joey Barton libel case over X posts (BBC)
• Police Scotland 'failing to take fingerprints of thousands of arrested people' (STV)
• Meet the vibe lawyers: the AI chatbots wreaking havoc in the justice system (Observer)