Livestreaming in court

The livestreaming service is part of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service’s commitment to open justice.

This is designed to allow improved access to hearings from the Court of Session and Criminal Appeal Court. Both courts sit in Parliament House, Edinburgh.

Hearings selected for livestream

Substantive civil appeal hearings before the First and Second Divisions (those chaired by the Lord President or the Lord Justice Clerk) will be livestreamed. The court may amend this at the request of the relevant parties.

In the Criminal Appeal Court, appeals against conviction and Crown sentence appeals are currently eligible to be screened.

Hearings that will not be livestreamed

In general, the following cases will not be livestreamed:

• hearings held in a closed court, this includes cases involving children
• procedural business
• those with global reporting restrictions
• cases with a substantial risk that sensitive personal information may be disclosed that could cause significant harm.

Adjournments

Where the court adjourns for a break or to consider matters the livestream will be paused and viewers will be notified.

Restrictions on livestreaming

Recording, storing or broadcasting the proceedings is only possible if permitted under the law on fair dealing or if authorised by the Judicial Office for Scotland Broadcast Protocol.

Any unauthorised capture, re-use, re-editing or redistribution of the material could attract liability for breach of copyright, in addition to the possibility of contempt of court proceedings.