Comment on 'level 2' court arrangements

Amanda Millar, President of the Law Society of Scotland comments on operating arrangements of the courts, published by Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service today, 13 May 2021, following the Scottish Government announcement that Scotland will move to ‘level 2’ Covid protection arrangements on 17 May.

She said: “This further move towards opening up our courts in line with government regulations is a positive step and as restrictions ease, we must all work to ensure the safety of everyone who uses the courts.

“It is also vital that we look beyond simply increasing the number of trials which can take place, to ensure that we have a resilient justice system longer term. Even as we see a welcome reduction in the backlog of cases, it remains important for all those involved in the justice system to continue to work together to find new ways of working which will serve the public interest. Such initiatives must also be properly resourced to ensure that cases which have been on hold, leaving many, including witnesses, those accused of a crime and those who represent them, in limbo for lengthy periods, are resolved as we continue to deal with the impact of the pandemic.”