Weekly roundup of Scots law in the headlines including shorter sentences from Scottish courts — Monday February 16

This week's review of all the latest headlines from the world of Scots Law and beyond includes a look at why shorter prison sentences are under consideration.

Scotland must rethink 'ineffective' two-year prison sentences, report warns

The Scottish Government has been urged to extend its presumption against short sentences to two years, reports STV.

The Independent Scottish Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission has called for significant reform, including discouraging judges from issuing prison sentences of less than two years.

Under the current policy, judges are discouraged from issuing custodial sentences of less than a year.

• Ministers urged to rethink jail sentences of less than two years (BBC)
• Scottish government urged to extend presumption against short sentences to two years (Morning Star)
• Constance backs community sentences as ‘effective’ at cutting reoffending (Ireland Live)
• Letter: Longer prison sentences better than brief stay behind bars (Herald)
• Prisoners to be released earlier in bid to end jail overcrowding (BBC)

'Large number of files' still retained following collapse of historic law firm

The law society has confirmed it retains a large number of files following the sudden closure of a historic Glasgow firm, reports STV.

Brunton Miller Solicitors began operating shortly after World War I, following the amalgamation of two firms established in the 1880s.

• Legal administrators support clients of collapsed law firm (Helensburgh Advertiser)
• Brunton Miller Solicitors has ceased to practise - FAQs (Law Society of Scotland)

And in other news

Legal headlines from across the UK and beyond:

• Oat milk cannot be sold as milk, Supreme Court rules as vegan drink maker Oatly loses long-running legal battle with dairy industry (Daily Mail)
• [£] Austin Lafferty: Expect nothing but the truth when taking NDA advice (Herald)
• Battle over definition of 'woman' costs Scottish Government more than £766,000 (STV)
• Ticket to terror as Scotland's transport workers call for law against soaring attacks (Daily Record)
• Research suggests AI is impacting junior lawyers’ judgement (Legal Cheek)
• [£] Q&A Angus Moon KC acted for G4S in Supreme Court test case (Times)
• Lawyer did not see Gavin Burrows sign Mail phone-hacking confession, court hears (Guardian)
• Nationwide becomes first mortgage lender to allow electronic signatures (Estate Agent Today)
• Trump’s multibillion lawsuit against BBC over Panorama edit set for trial in 2027 (Guardian)
• UK Finance defers launch of new Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook platform (Law Society of Scotland)
• [£] How to buy a law firm if you’re not allowed to buy a law firm (Financial Times)
• The secretive, destructive work of an ICE attorney: ‘My job is to do what I’m told’ (Guardian)
• Strike-off for advocate who lied about arriving after court hearing (Legal Futures)
• AI 'spy' cameras to be rolled out on Scotland’s roads to catch drivers who break the law (Daily Record)
• [£] Brussels breached EU law over €10bn for Hungary, court adviser says (Financial Times)
• [£] The ‘class ceiling’ is a problem — more laws are not the answer (Times)
• Landmark high court ruling finds Catholic church had duty to protect NSW child from paedophile priest (Guardian)