On August 29, 2025, Scotland will mark a watershed moment in its legal history as the Criminal Appeal Court becomes the first criminal court in the nation to regularly livestream its hearings. This bold step, delivered through the new 'Criminal Appeal Court Live' service, is being hailed as a major leap forward for transparency, public engagement, and the principle of open justice in the digital era.
The inaugural livestream will feature an appeal involving an unnamed woman accused of several offences against two children—a case that has already faced three postponements due to insufficient court capacity, with scheduled trials in November 2023, September 2024, and June 2025 all being adjourned. According to BBC, the woman’s lawyers are currently challenging a sheriff’s decision to give prosecutors until October to bring the case to trial. While the specifics of the allegations remain protected for legal reasons, the very fact that this case is leading the way for livestreamed criminal appeals is significant in itself.
The hearings will be broadcast from Parliament House in Edinburgh, one of Scotland’s oldest and most storied courtrooms. Eight newly-installed cameras, managed by a dedicated camera operator, will capture proceedings with high audio and visual standards, ensuring that the thousands who may tune in from home receive a clear, professional view of the courtroom drama. The courtroom itself can accommodate fewer than a hundred people, but now, as Lord Pentland, Scotland’s Lord Justice General, put it, “technology offers us the enormous advantage of opening the door of the courtroom to a far wider audience, who may have an interest in what happens in their criminal justice system.”
Lord Pentland, the most senior judge in Scotland, has been a vocal advocate for this move. “The principle of open justice is fundamental to our legal system and, indeed, the stability of our country,” he stated, as reported by The Herald. “It helps secure the efficient and impartial administration of justice and supports public confidence in and respect for the rule of law.” He added, “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 initial phase of the livestreaming service will focus on appeals against conviction and prosecution appeals against sentence. Plans are in place to eventually expand the coverage to all appeals. Importantly, the service comes with built-in safeguards: prisoners will not appear in the broadcasts, and any appeals involving new witnesses giving evidence in person will not be shown. This is meant to protect the identities of vulnerable individuals and maintain the dignity and integrity of the process. Furthermore, strict measures are in place to prevent the misuse of footage, with violators potentially facing contempt of court proceedings.
To help the public make sense of what can often be complex legal arguments, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) will publish a summary of each case in advance. The SCTS website will also provide written decisions and direct links to the livestream, making it easier for viewers to follow the proceedings and understand the issues at stake. For those unable to watch live, an 'on demand' catch-up service will be available, ensuring that access is not limited by time zones or work schedules.
This isn’t Scotland’s first foray into televised justice. Cameras have been permitted in Scottish courts since 1992, but until 2012, sentencing wasn’t filmed. The real turning point came in June 2023, when the Court of Session—Scotland’s highest civil court—began livestreaming hearings. Since then, 68 hearings have been broadcast, with some cases drawing more than 5,000 viewers. Lord Clark, who leads the livestreaming project, called the move into criminal appeals “a significant progression in our livestreaming journey and marks an important milestone for Scotland’s courts.” He expressed confidence that this new chapter will “attract a high level of interest and bring additional benefits to those who use our courts.”
Malcolm Graham, chief executive of the SCTS, echoed these sentiments. “The new service will allow greater public understanding of the appeals process 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,” Graham told The Scotsman. “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.”
Defence lawyers, too, have largely welcomed the initiative, albeit with some reservations. Tony Lenehan KC, vice dean of the Faculty of Advocates, acknowledged the importance of public oversight: “The courts are administered on behalf of the public and it’s important the public are able to see how justice is done. It’s not always pleasant to be performing in court and thinking that you’re being televised at the same time, but the reality is people need to see how their justice system is operating and this is an important way of doing it.”
Yet, as with any technological leap, there are concerns to be addressed. According to a report from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, there are risks associated with livestreams, such as the potential for deepfake technology or hacking, which could undermine the integrity of the broadcasts. The SCTS and court officials have taken these warnings seriously, implementing robust technical and procedural safeguards to minimize such threats. “The courts are not entertainment and must not be viewed in that way and that’s why we’re approaching it in a highly professional and regulated manner,” Lord Pentland emphasized, according to BBC.
As Scotland blazes a trail for open justice in the UK, the move is being closely watched by legal professionals, civil liberties advocates, and the wider public alike. The livestreamed appeals are seen as a means to demystify the legal process, foster greater trust in the justice system, and provide a valuable educational tool for students and citizens. Details of upcoming livestreamed cases are available on the Criminal Appeal Court Live page of the Scottish Courts Service website.
Whether this experiment will eventually lead to the filming of entire criminal trials remains to be seen. Lord Pentland has cautioned that “broadcasting the giving of evidence by witnesses in a courtroom presents a huge range of challenges,” and a long-term move toward filming all criminal trials for on-the-day news reports remains “unlikely.” For now, though, Scotland’s courts are taking a measured, professional approach to opening their doors to the world—one livestream at a time.
