Judges coming, judges going

Paul Cullen QC, Valerie Stacey QC, and Sheriff Iain Peebles QC have been appointed to the Court of Session and High Court bench, it was announced on 5 November 2008.

The appointments show that the Sunday Herald for 12 October was well informed in its speculation about possible appointees, although whether the appointments will cure its concern about the constitution of the higher judiciary is rather less apparent.  Gordon Jackson QC may also be wondering what he did to miss out this time.

As new judges appear, old ones leave the scene.  Sheriff Andrew Lothian (65) of Lothian & Borders resigned with immediate effect on 21 November 2008, after it emerged that a Sunday tabloid planned to run a story about his private life and visits to saunas.  He had been a sheriff for 29 years.