Lord Pentland

The Appeal Court of the High Court of Justiciary is to become the first criminal court in Scotland with a regular livestreaming service, allowing hearings to be viewed online by the public.

Solemn (jury) criminal appeals will be livestreamed from 29 August, improving access, openness, and transparency within the appeal court, our sister publication Scottish Legal News reports.

Criminal Appeal Court Live will initially feature appeals against conviction and Crown (prosecution) appeals against sentence, with a view to all appeals eventually being livestreamed.

The project forms part of the judiciary’s and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service’s joint commitment to open justice and builds on the success of livestreaming in Scotland’s highest civil court, the Court of Session, which began in June 2023.

The Lord Justice General, Lord Pentland, said: “The principle of open justice is fundamental to our legal system and, indeed, the stability of our country. It helps secure the efficient and impartial administration of justice and supports public confidence in and respect for the rule of law.

“The launch of Criminal Appeal Court Live is the latest initiative to be introduced as part of our commitment to this important principle and I’m pleased to open up the court to a much wider, online audience.

“The service will help to educate and inform the public about the work of the Criminal Appeal Court and allow interested parties — including complainers — to view proceedings without the need to attend in person.

“It will also provide the media with more efficient access to cases to assist with informed and accurate reporting and allow academics and students to engage with the court process in a more convenient way.

“This is an important step in ensuring that justice can be seen to be done in today’s digitally driven world.”

The Criminal Appeal Court sits in Court 2 at Parliament House, Edinburgh. The courtroom has recently been fitted with new equipment which will be controlled by a camera operator to ensure high standards of audio and visual output.

The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) website will be updated with details of the new service and provide additional information on upcoming cases, including a brief outline of the appeal, a link to the livestream feed, and any written decision of the court.

Where appropriate, the hearings — which feature arguments from the prosecutor and defence advocates — will also be available ‘on demand’ allowing viewers to watch the proceedings at a time convenient to them.

Malcolm Graham, SCTS chief executive, said: “The launch of Criminal Appeal Court Live is another significant development for SCTS which will support open justice and transparency in our courts.

“The new service will allow greater public understanding of appeal cases and provide a means for complainers and other court users to view proceedings without the need to attend court — either live as it happens or at a later stage.

“This is a strong example of how technology can improve access for those who use or have an interest in our courts, and I am very thankful to everyone involved in this initiative for their hard work in developing it.”

Lord Clark, who leads the livestreaming project, added: “This is a significant progression in our livestreaming journey and marks an important milestone for Scotland’s courts.

“The launch of Criminal Appeal Court Live builds on the success of the Court of Session livestream which has streamed 68 hearings since it was launched, with cases of significant public importance reaching viewing figures of more than 5,000 at times.

“I’m confident that the move into criminal appeals will also attract a high level of interest and bring additional benefits to those who use our courts.”

The first case to be livestreamed under the new service is planned to take place on 29 August. This is an appeal against a decision to grant an extension of time limits in a case.