Court of Session live streams first appeal hearing

An appeal hearing is to be live streamed by the Court of Session for the first time today.

Court authorities disclosed yesterday evening that the Lord President, Lord Carloway, has granted permission for an appeal "of international significance" to be available to the public live online.

It means that people around the globe will be able to watch the two-day hearing scheduled for 17 and 18 November, in the same way that they can cases being heard in the UK Supreme Court. The hearing begins at 10.30am.

The appeal, in cases brought by Glasgow City Council and West Dunbartonshire Council against VFS Financial Services Ltd and a group of European truck and bus manufacturers, involves lead cases seeking damages following findings by the European Commission of the existence of a pricing cartel by the manufacturers. 

The issue raised is whether the claims were time barred when they were brought in February 2019. The Commission began its investigation in 2011; in late 2014 it informed a number of manufacturers that it was beginning proceedings against them; and it advised them of its decision in July 2016. In the Outer House Lord Tyre held that the period before that last date was not to be counted as part of the five year time bar period and allowed the actions to continue, except in relation to purchases of trucks that had taken place more than 20 years before the actions were raised.

Lord Carloway, Lord Woolman and Lord Pentland will legal arguments surrounding the appeal. Details on how to access the hearing are available on the courts website. 

The court also advised that live streaming is not appropriate for all hearings and the decision to grant permission was based on the circumstances of the particular case. The web page further points out that the reuse, capture, re-editing or redistribution of the material in any form is not permitted and could result in sanctions.