Legal news

Digital sasine service opens next Thursday
Phased introduction for Registers' new submission facility

LBTT threshold to rise – but not quite yet
Only transactions above £250,000 will pay scale rate – once systems ready

IBA embarks on lawyers' mental wellbeing project
Surveys for individuals and law firms launched to provide key data

Disability Law Centre protests unclear face mask signs
Complaint that failure to mention exemptions leads to harassment

Group proceedings rules come in from 31 July
"Opt in" actions under Civil Litigation Act given go-ahead

Lord Brodie retires from bench
Inner House judge steps down after 18 years on Court of Session bench

Digital sasine registration imminent, RoS announces
Public beta version expected next week as prior testing completes

Wellbeing relevant to vacant land proposals: Commission
Guidance includes wellbeing in factors central to assessing business case

Jobs support and selective VAT cuts in Sunak package
Public offered incentives to go and eat out as part of economic stimulus

Workplace COVID-19 tests to be tax free, Sunak confirms
HMRC to revise guidance following Chancellor's intervention

MSPs call for repeal of emergency mental health law
Committee believes unused streamlined powers no longer justified

Appeal not suspension the remedy for non-party to award
Court holds appeal by body not party to dismissal claim would be competent

Jones Whyte sponsors Partick Thistle youth academy
One year deal reached with Firhill's Thistle Weir Youth Academy

MSPs seek views on EU law continuity bill
Committees taking evidence on bill to keep Scots law aligned with EU law

Anderson Strathern launches anti-COVID Resilience Unit
Business support unit set up to help clients respond to changing outlook

Virtual summary trials should be the norm: Pyle
Sheriff principal's report recommends Scotland-wide rollout

Faculty restores “Father of democracy” on QC's research
Thomas Muir's 1793 expulsion reversed on Ross Macfarlane's discovery

Property market saw 2019-20 gains despite COVID-19
RoS annual market report records price and value growth

Hearts, Partick relegation dispute sent to arbitration
Judge rules SFA articles apply on clubs' complaint of unfair prejudice

Courts' power to depart from EU law: ministers consult
UK Government wants more courts freed from retained EU case law

Greenpeace fined £80,000 for oil rig interdict breach
Director spared jail as judge decides to "exercise leniency"

Three promoted at Jones Whyte
Two associates and a senior solicitor named

Pro-competition regime needed for web giants: CMA
Report calls for new regime to regulate Google and Facebook

Campaigners call foul as MSPs shelve Fair Rents Bill
Holyrood committee not to consider member's bill due to heavy workload