Law Society of Scotland Raises Concerns Over Proposed Changes to Criminal Justice System in New Bill

The Law Society of Scotland has issued a stark warning about the potential consequences of a new Scottish government bill on the country’s criminal justice system. The Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill has come under scrutiny for proposed changes that could significantly impact the integrity of the system.

One of the key concerns raised by the Law Society is the proposal to scrap the ‘not proven’ verdict, a unique feature of Scottish criminal trials. Additionally, the bill suggests reducing the size of juries from 15 to 12 members and introducing single judge-only rape trials. These changes, when combined, could have far-reaching implications for how justice is delivered in Scotland.

Sheila Webster, the president of the Law Society of Scotland, emphasized the importance of maintaining the right to trial by jury for serious crimes. The potential introduction of juryless trials for rape cases has raised alarm among legal practitioners, who see trial by jury as a fundamental aspect of the justice system.

While the Law Society supports certain aspects of the bill, such as provisions for the anonymity of complainers in sexual offence cases and the establishment of a new commissioner, they stress the need for caution in implementing changes that could compromise the core principles of the criminal justice system.

As the Scottish Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee considers the evidence provided by the Law Society and other stakeholders, the debate over the future of Scotland’s criminal justice system is likely to intensify. The outcome of these discussions will have a lasting impact on how justice is served in the country.