Monday, April 22, 2013

Globetrotting Lord Gill urged to reconsider snub to Scottish Parliament after top judge refused to answer questions over opposition to register of judicial interests

Orient Express : Lord Gill ‘re-invited’ to attend Holyrood after judicial snub to msps. SCOTLAND’S top judge, Lord President Lord Brian Gill who earlier this month snubbed an official invite to attend the Scottish Parliament, has been asked once again by a Parliamentary Committee to appear before msps to face questions on why he is refusing to implement a register of interests for Scotland's judiciary.

The latest invitation from members of Holyrood’s Public Petitions Committee comes after Lord Gill, who regularly travels to destinations as far afield as China,Taiwan and this week, South Africa, refused to attend Scotland’s elected Parliament, located a few hundred metres down Edinburgh’s Royal Mile from Lord Gill’s office at the Court of Session.

Legal observers to the escalating stand off between the Parliament & Scotland’s top judge say the Lord President appears anxious to avoid facing questions from msps over his objections to Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary, filed by law journalist Peter Cherbi.

Last Tuesday, 16 April, the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee met to discuss the Lord President’s refusal to attend an evidence session. Committee members including Chic Brodie MSP, Jackson Carlaw MSP and the Committee’s Convener David Stewart MSP, made it clear that Lord Gill should be re-invited to attend an evidence session at the Scottish Parliament to face questions on the strength of his objections to creating a register of interests for his judicial colleagues.

The Committee also agreed to seek views from the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland and the Judicial Complaints Reviewer, Moi Ali. who has also encountered resistance from the Lord President with regard to transparency of complaints made against members of Scotland’s judiciary, recently reported in the Sunday Mail newspaper and on Diary of Injustice, HERE.

Petition 1458 Register of Interests for Scotland's Judiciary Scottish Parliament 16 April 2013 (click image below to watch video footage of Petitions Committee debate) 

The Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee has since issued a statement on Friday 19 April, announcing that Lord Gill has been asked to reconsider his decision not to appear in front of the Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee in a letter issued by Convener David Stewart MSP on behalf of the Committee. The invitation asks Lord Gill to reconsider his decision not to attend the committee to discuss petition PE1458, which calls for legislation to be put in place to require all members of the judiciary in Scotland to submit their interests and hospitality received to a publicly available register of interests.

Committee Convener David Stewart MSP said: “As a Scottish Parliament committee, our job is to fully examine the petitions before us and explore the issues involved.Only by doing this can we ensure that we exhausted every possible avenue in taking a petition forward. To do this without hearing from the Lord President in person would be difficult. That is why we are disappointed that Lord Gill has felt unable to attend a committee meeting to discuss these issues fully. We have written to Lord Gill asking him to reconsider his decision in the hope that our committee can have a full and frank discussion of the issues.”

MSPs letter to Lord Gill requesting he attend Scottish Parliament. The text of the letter sent by Convener of the Petitions Committee, David Stewart MSP to Lord Gill states : “Notwithstanding your response, the Committee still feels it would assist its consideration of this petition and aide its understanding of the issues raised were you able to make yourself available.  The Committee can see benefit in being able to explore with you orally the written evidence provided. By way of example, we note that to your knowledge no situation has arisen, within your tenure as Lord President, where a judge has failed to recuse him or herself. Would a central record be kept of any such instances and if so, are you able to provide any information on the numbers involved? I and the other members of the Committee would be most grateful if you were able to reconsider the invitation from the Committee to attend in person.”

Diary of Injustice reported on the Petitions Committee’s meeting of 5th March 2013 which issued the initial invite to Lord Gill to attend Holyrood, here : SILENCE IN COURT : Scotland’s top judge Lord Gill summoned to Parliament over ‘vested interests’ attempt to block Register of Judicial Interests petition and video footage of that earlier meeting is also available online here : Petition PE1458 Register of Judges Interests 5 March 2013 Scottish Parliament.

The Sunday Mail newspaper has also reported on the latest developments and MSPs comments regarding Lord Gill’s earlier refusal to attend the Scottish Parliament, here :

LAWMAN GOES TO ORIENT BUT NOT HOLYROOD

TOP JUDGE’S STONEWALL OF CHINA

MSPs urge legal chief to reconsider parly snub

By Russell Findlay 21 April 2013 Sunday Mail

Scotland's top judge is refusing to go to Holyrood to face MSPs despite once travelling 6000 miles to meet a politician. Lord Gill snubbed the parliament's petitions committee who want to quiz him about his opposition to a judicial register of interests.

But the £214,000-a-year Lord President previously went on a jaunt to Taiwan where he talked to president Ma Ying-jeou about Scotland's legal system.

And last week he jetted off to a law conference in South Africa as the committee urged him to reconsider his attendance at Holyrood.

Committee member and SNP MSP Chic Brodie said: "It would appear his international travel commitments are more important than speaking to us. "It's ridiculous to say he won't come in person. It's an insult to the parliament. He really should come along. "It comes back to the old adage, when you're in a hole, stop digging.

"Any cabinet secretary asked to appear has done so and they are subjected to very robust questioning on the basis that they want to have openness and transparency. "The judiciary should open the window and let in fresh air but he wants to shut the window. "Welcome to the 21st century. We want a new Scotland to be open and transparent."

Legal reform campaigner Peter Cherbi's petition calls for judges to declare their interests as others in public life must do.

Registers usually include details of hospitality, gifts, property plus personal or financial links to outside bodies. Lord Gill expressed opposition to a register in writing but, as we revealed last week, has refused MSPs' requests to answer questions about the subject.

Under the Scotland Act, judges are not compelled to attend.

On Tuesday, the committee agreed to write back to Lord Gill and ask him to change his mind. Legal and political observers are watching the escalating stand-off between Holyrood and the judiciary.

Committee chairman Labour MSP David Stewart will also ask the Judicial Complaints Reviewer, Moi Ali, to attend. Ali said: "I'm committed to openness and transparency in public life and fully supportive of a register of interests for the judiciary. "It's a standard part of being in the public eye and I can see no reason why some people should be exempt.”

Cherbi, from Edinburgh, said: "It seems a little arrogant that Scotland's most senior judge should shun his own country's parliament 700m from his office yet is willing to meet politicians halfway round the world."

During last week's committee meeting, Brodie said: "We're all equal before the law, even those who dispense it.

"I think we should send a courteous letter but make it very robust in that we now question that, yes, he's written to us but that doesn't necessarily answer all the questions we have. What is there to hide?"

The Judicial Office for Scotland said: "The Lord President's private office has received a letter from the public petitions committee. He will consider the terms and respond."

88 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hmm

Clearly a problem here when judges don't respect our own parliament.
How about making judges elected too instead of the usual old boys club of doing things and all the secrecy that goes with it like we can see happening right here!

Anonymous said...

Hope the Taiwanese President has more sense than to model anything they do on Scotland's stupid and crooked legal system.

Anyway who is paying for Gill's trips all over the place? Taxpayer as usual ??

Anonymous said...

"Legal observers to the escalating stand off between the Parliament & Scotland’s top judge say the Lord President appears anxious to avoid facing questions from msps over his objections to Petition PE1458: Register of Interests for members of Scotland's judiciary"

Well,obviously!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the judges have something to hide..

Anonymous said...

Under the Scotland Act, judges are not compelled to attend. Well amend the act, simple. Lord President Gill you are fueling mistrust and in your position as Scotland's top Judge you should be setting an example to your colleagues. Furthermore whether you like it or not you are nothing special, just a human being like each of us, and as you make decisions affecting the lives of other human beings you must be accountable.

You really are showing off your Victorian spots.

Anonymous said...

Globetrotting Lord Gill urged to reconsider snub to Scottish Parliament after top judge refused to answer questions over opposition to register of judicial interests.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot, just proves he is not as smart as he would have us believe.

Anonymous said...

Committee member and SNP MSP Chic Brodie said: "It would appear his international travel commitments are more important than speaking to us. "It's ridiculous to say he won't come in person. It's an insult to the parliament. He really should come along. "It comes back to the old adage, when you're in a hole, stop digging.

"Any cabinet secretary asked to appear has done so and they are subjected to very robust questioning on the basis that they want to have openness and transparency. "The judiciary should open the window and let in fresh air but he wants to shut the window. "Welcome to the 21st century. We want a new Scotland to be open and transparent."

WELL SAID !!

Anonymous said...

wouldn't be surprised if Gill fails to show up again - clearly he is not a fan of the Scottish Parliament!

Anonymous said...

Maybe the Committee could ask The Lord President for an explanation, including him quoting clauses in law as to how on Earth it is possible for Scotland to be the only legal jurisdiction in the World where convicted criminals can be allowed to pass themselves off as judges?

Anonymous said...

I am assuming that the trips to Taiwan & South Africa were NOT covered by an expenses chit?

Anonymous said...

Finally, MSP's show that they are under the misapprehension that THEY are in control of what happens in Scotland?

Mr Gill is owning them in true Illuminatti style?

Anonymous said...

Is Mr Gill not just exercising his (fifth amendment) rights by choosing not to incriminate himself?

Anonymous said...

Why is the 'top judge' flying around the world when our own justice system is in a mess and these judges constantly tell us the courts are overcrowded overworked and underpaid?

Anonymous said...

Very interesting debate and topic suffice to say if the judge does not want to answer questions on why he is so dead against this register of interests why not just legislate for it and force them to be part of the law they also dispense.

Anonymous said...

£214,000 reasons from the public purse he must attend plus what he does not want us to know. Why hide Lord President?

Public servants are answerable to the public who use their courts. In a democratic country you cannot hide your interests as they affect the people paying your salary.

Anonymous said...

Funny I could have sworn this was on Reporting Scotland tonight with the headline Scots judges impregnated by unknown pandas!

Seriously,good luck with this petition I think it is a winner and these rich judges should be made to declare ALL their interests

Anonymous said...

Under the Scotland Act, judges are not compelled to attend. Why should these dinosaurs have loopholes like the, the LPLA, Act was watered down too. As the old saying goes there is no smoke without fire, as I keep saying this legal faction are just people like their clients but the power is asymmetrical which has resulted in a lot of suffering.

The issue is not about lawyers being powerful, the issue is how they use that power by there being no complaints system and no lawyer will sue another lawyer for a ruined client. This is a license to ruin clients and it must end.

What is clear now is that Lord Gill's intention to implement his Civil Courts Review was hot air, just like he wants the Register of Interests to be, and nothing secret can ever be anything other than based on mendacity. This profession needs dragged into the modern age, these people have had their way for far too long. Good on you Peter Cherbi and DOI for rocking the boat again.

Anonymous said...

We have written to Lord Gill asking him to reconsider his decision in the hope that our committee can have a full and frank discussion of the issues.”

If he refused to attend he is not fit to remain in his present role. Simple as that.

Anonymous said...

How many judges are taking these international jaunts instead of showing up at Holyrood to talk to our ELECTED politicians???

These judges have been quick to criticise the parliament plenty times accusing it of creating bad law yet now when they are asked for information on their interests they shut up and protest about it!

I smell a stack of big fat brown envelopes lurking somewhere and unti8l they declare to this register of interests no one can disprove what I have said!

Anonymous said...

Yes I read this yesterday in the Sunday Mail.Glad to see the paper takes an interest.Still I am beginning to wonder how long the silence club at the other papers/unionist bbc will manage to ignore this one.I mean when the top judge tells the parly to f*off in no uncertain terms and they come back and say he's insulting our sovereign parly and must turn up you'd naturally expect it in the top headlines all over the place.Must be costing these vested interests a lot of time and worry to keep it off the radar!Just shows what kind of country we are living in when lawyers are dictating what appears on the nightly news etc
Keep up the great reporting Sunday Mail!!!

Anonymous said...

Very interesting Lord Gill willing to risk his reputation and the reputation of the justice system over this petition.These judges always start shouting about the judiciary must remain independent of the Government and politicians yet tonight I have found scores of photos on google of Lord Gill attending meetings at embassies all over the place.So what is this judicial independence all about?Is it really just an excuse to cover one's back when someone asks you to declare what else you get up to in your spare time or on trips no one here in Scotland ever gets to read about?

I think something is going on here big time and Peter's petition on such a simple issue has caught them all out so badly they dare not talk about it or show up at the Scottish parliament.

Good on you Peter and thanks for showing us what the legal fraternity is like behind the doors it wants to keep closed.

Anonymous said...

The invitation asks Lord Gill to reconsider his decision not to attend the committee to discuss petition PE1458, which calls for legislation to be put in place to require all members of the judiciary in Scotland to submit their interests and hospitality received to a publicly available register of interests.
=================================
I could see a dictator refusing to answer questions simply because in a dictatorship there are no laws, the latter change at the whim of the ruler.

But Scotland is a democratic country is seem inconceivable that public servants can just refuse to appear before the Parliament. Why do we have legislation with loopholes to protect the Judiciary? It is an outrage how he can refuse and he is doing the Judiciary no favour's or himself. The point is without the register of interests they should not be allowed to sit in court.

Anonymous said...

Standing outside the courts, peaceful protest with boards with the following message.

Top Judge wants Judges interests kept secret.

It is not a criminal act, and it is not defamatory because it is true.

Anonymous said...

Globetrotting Lord Gill urged to reconsider snub to Scottish Parliament after top judge refused to answer questions over opposition to register of judicial interests.

As the Parliament is composed of representatives of the people, Lord Gill is snubbing the people who pay his salary. This is outrageous and is doing him and his colleagues no good in terms of their integrity.

Anonymous said...

Cherbi, from Edinburgh, said: "It seems a little arrogant that Scotland's most senior judge should shun his own country's parliament 700m from his office yet is willing to meet politicians halfway round the world." .............True but the politicians half way round the world don't want to open Pandoras Box.

Anonymous said...

I wonder whose lobbying allowed the Judiciary to escape democratic scrutiny under the terms the Scotland Act - step forward the Law Society of Scotland?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Hmm

Clearly a problem here when judges don't respect our own parliament.
How about making judges elected too instead of the usual old boys club of doing things and all the secrecy that goes with it like we can see happening right here!

22 April 2013 17:19
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Does this spectacle not exemplify Lord Gill's former legally stated position, which he so clearly expressed in his critical Justice Review, that the old broken-record status quo is not an option in the 21st Century and we must embrace change itself or be brushed aside for someone with vision to take over acting in the interests of the Scottish People?

Anonymous said...

"Welcome to the 21st century. We want a new Scotland to be open and transparent."

Not if Lord Gill and the judicial mafia have their wicked way we wont!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Hope the Taiwanese President has more sense than to model anything they do on Scotland's stupid and crooked legal system.

Anyway who is paying for Gill's trips all over the place? Taxpayer as usual ??

22 April 2013 17:35
>>><<<>>><<<>>><<<<>>>>>><<<

Heaven forbid.......we already have a North Korea in that part of the World, we don't want another one!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Under the Scotland Act, judges are not compelled to attend. Well amend the act, simple. Lord President Gill you are fueling mistrust and in your position as Scotland's top Judge you should be setting an example to your colleagues. Furthermore whether you like it or not you are nothing special, just a human being like each of us, and as you make decisions affecting the lives of other human beings you must be accountable.

You really are showing off your Victorian spots.

22 April 2013 18:10
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

As Jackson Carlaw so eloquently pointed out, Lord Gill has already commenced communicating evidence with the Committee and as such he would in effect be doing an about face by refusing to continue with their reasonable request for his attendance before them?

Cake and eat it rings a bell?

This is all about EGO, my daddy is bigger than your daddy, my badge is better than your badge, my word is worth more than your word?

Get on the programme, face up to your duties & responsibilities. This is what your are paid your massively over-inflated salary for?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Globetrotting Lord Gill urged to reconsider snub to Scottish Parliament after top judge refused to answer questions over opposition to register of judicial interests.

Talk about shooting yourself in the foot, just proves he is not as smart as he would have us believe.

22 April 2013 18:13
?????????????????????

Or unbelievably arrogant?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
wouldn't be surprised if Gill fails to show up again - clearly he is not a fan of the Scottish Parliament!

22 April 2013 18:22
££££££££££££££££££

Maybe the MSP's are beneath his contempt?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Why is the 'top judge' flying around the world when our own justice system is in a mess and these judges constantly tell us the courts are overcrowded overworked and underpaid?

22 April 2013 19:00
:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:;:

Good point well made?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
£214,000 reasons from the public purse he must attend plus what he does not want us to know. Why hide Lord President?

Public servants are answerable to the public who use their courts. In a democratic country you cannot hide your interests as they affect the people paying your salary.

22 April 2013 20:20
--------------------------------

Wait a minute.............when I got up this morning I was in Scotland in the year 2013..................It would now appear that I have been transported back in time to Cold War Czechoslovakia?

Anonymous said...

Very interesting Lord Gill willing to risk his reputation and the reputation of the justice system over this petition.

Oh yes a confederacy of deceivers who want to keep everything enclosed in secrecy, hardly inspires public confidence in the legal system in Scotland.

I would not accept representation from any Scottish lawyer if they even provided it for free. That is how much faith I have in lawyers. The combination of secrecy and no complaints system should tell us all to stay well clear. Law Society, Complaints Commission, control a network of people committed to protectionism, and this fact means they are not fit for purpose.

Anonymous said...



22 April 2013 23:04

Who cares if its not on Reporting Scotland???I've been watching that since the 90s and its the same old news today as it was 20 years ago read by the same people and the only time a bent lawyer gets a mention is when one has been walked the plank to justify the Law Society's existence!

How many times have O'Donnell Penman that crowd at Citizens Advice Hamilton and the rest of the crooked mob including husbands of judges slagging us all off ever featured on the tv?NONE!! and even when all the lawyers who stole the legal aid were let off by the Crown Office nothing at all not a peep!

"other papers" who would these be? are these the same papers only the lawyers and banksters now buy anyway?
I am well chuffed with the coverage in the Sunday Mail at least people buy the Sunday Mail and read it instead of being fed a load of condescending crap in other rags and then there's the stories written by lawyers pretending to be journalists punting out fake stats about the housing market to boost their own property sales or the usual bunkum about how great the courts and lawyers are when we all know they are a pile of poo!
I think DOI and the Sunday Mail are doing a great job and I bet Lord Gill does too because he probably is a regular reader too!

Anonymous said...

They certainly do not like being under the spotlight DOI and it is their own fault because the lawyers have contempt for clients, and abuse and steal from them and they think they are right to do so.

Keep up the good work exposing those who "borrow without consent" who collectively regard clients as "thorns in their flesh". To be honest I think many of them are mature but only in the pants.

Anonymous said...

FYI Lord Gill is in South Africa along with Austin Lafferty for the Commonwealth Law Conference.I cant imagine for one minute they will be promoting any issues relating to transparency,democratically elected parliaments or a register of interests!

Anonymous said...

I agree.The story on Gill and the judges secret interests is already getting a good hearing in the press and anyway who wastes their life watching the ttv these days?
If you want an issue to get some airtime may as well put it on you tube and link it up with what you are writing about and everyone on you tube a nowadays even my son has been watching the debates about the judges and he's only 14 AND he understands why judges should be made to declare what they have (he even said he wondered why it is not happening already!)

Anonymous said...

Any update on if Mister Gill will go to Holyrood?

Anonymous said...

The thing is,only a crook or someone with something to hide argues against a register of interests.This is a universal truth and Lord Gill knows it just like all those at the Scottish Parliament and anyone who is able to read and write.

Anonymous said...

Lord Gill is in South Africa along with Austin Lafferty for the Commonwealth Law Conference.....Oh Austin of the "save justice" brigade who said his ideal client was a wealthy old lady, and he is in charge of the Law Society now. See what I mean there is no complaints system, and no register of interest, what is in the public interest is against theirs.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Gill will not appear at Pet. Comm. All the huffing and puffing by MSP's will make no difference. The only way anyone will be allowed to question Gill is in camera. Great trick, increasingly being used to stifle info. re. our alleged public servants.

We, the people, must through our elected reps., DEMAND Gill's public appearance at the Pet. Comm. If he refuses to attend sack him and any other public servant avoiding being questioned by the people.

We the people are increasingly being told if we have nothing to hide we should have no fear from being spied upon by the private companies that operate CCTV, and government agencies.

Stasi Scotland is in place and our leaders are in the vanguard of those who wish to control our daily lives.

But, of course, our leaders are exempt from this intrusion and destruction of our liberties and freedoms, because they are doing a fine job and we must trust them.

Sack the lot of them, and if they have committed crimes against the people, jail them.

Keep up the excellent, hard work Peter Cherbi. The truth will out.

Hold Fast, Jim Graham.

23 April 2013 16:09
Weweweweweweweweweweweeeeee

What about the elephant in the room?

Should the MSP's not be incandescent with rage that we have convicted criminals passing themselves off as judges in Scotland?

Anonymous said...

My thanks go out to all of the hardworking journalists at the DOI for staying true to their moral guidelines and shining the light of truth and transparency on the dark and dingy Scottish legal system?

Well done too the Sunday Mail for ripping up the 'D' Notices and telling their oppressors to stick it where the sun don't shine?

By opposing and rejecting the strangulating 'D' Notices and risking to break free they are being rewarded by the support and genuine love and respect from the People of Scotland and it should be of no surprise that they are being rewarded in increased sales as a direct consequence of acting in the Public Interest?

Anonymous said...

The sinister spread of justice behind closed doors By Christopher Booker

PUBLISHED: 23:50, 23 April 2013 | UPDATED: 00:48, 24 April 2013

Wanda Maddocks was jailed 'in secret' for trying to remove her father from a care home where his family thought he was in danger of dying

Wanda Maddocks was jailed 'in secret' for trying to remove her father from a care home where his family thought he was in danger of dying

Today’s revelations in the Mail about Wanda Maddocks, the woman imprisoned by a judge for trying to remove her 80-year-old father from a care home where he was being held against his family’s wishes, are truly shocking.

Most disturbing of all is that it is only thanks to persistent inquiries by the Mail that we know of her fate at all — for the court heard the case in secret and chose not to publish the ruling containing details of her sentence.

The court that conducted itself in this manner is the mysterious and secretive Court of Protection, set up in 2005 under the Labour government’s Mental Capacity Act to give state officials quite extraordinary powers over the lives of people who are deemed no longer fit to handle their own affairs.

Miss Maddocks was found guilty of contempt because she ignored the Court of Protection’s orders not to interfere with her father’s life in the care home.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2313761/The-sinister-spread-justice-closed-doors.html#ixzz2RLDdjPJV
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Anonymous said...

NICOLA STURGEON has warned that David Cameron’s bedroom tax will hit the poor as badly as Margaret Thatcher’s hated poll tax.

She condemned the Tory MPs backing the benefits clawback and claimed they are enjoying the misery their cuts are inflicting on some of Britain’s most vulnerable people.

Around 100,000 Scots living in social housing will lose up to a quarter of their benefits in just a few weeks’ time under the bedroom tax.

Sturgeon labelled the benefit cut as pernicious and vowed to scrap it in Scotland if the country votes for independence.
==================================
It is not personal Nicola but I dislike you simply because you are selective about injustice. I am paying the bedroom tax but I trust you as much as I trust CamClegg. I never hear you mentioning lawyers who attempt to starve out ruined clients, at least Cameron is not taking all of my money.

Anonymous said...

Does this judge have any credibility left? and what about all these trips and just why is he (and presumably others on the bench) flying around the world doing exactly what now?

Anonymous said...

Could this be described as the mystery from the Orient Express?

Anonymous said...

Given the hysterical opposition to the Judiciary being required to be transparent, should the police service now do what all the Scottish Public are asking for and to carry out a detailed investigation into all the judiciary so that we can be sure that we do not have even more crooks passing themselves off as judges?

Anonymous said...

Would it now be appropriate to refer to Lord Gill & Austin Lafferty as 'FREQUENT FLYERS'?

Remembering, that this phrase was coined by an SLCC lackey as a slur on the victims of Scottish lawyers who were only reporting crime perpetrated against them by the Scottish lawyer they had trusted?

Anonymous said...

Are these jet-setters to far flung places doing so as part of work or is this a holiday as part of their annual entitlement?

Are their wives or partners with them on these escapades and who takes a note of these things to ensure that the Scottish Public are not being taken advantage of?

It is one thing getting paid ridiculous and hard to substantiate salaries but another thing entirely if we just have to 'take their word for it' that their expenses and holiday entitlement is bona fide?

It would be even worse if all the time they are bleating on about pressure on them being too much and and not enough hours in the day to cover the case loads if the Judges are not even doing their fair share of work?

If these sojourns around the World count as a 'Work Day', then think of the LOST TIME to the tax-payer, which could have been used to hear cases and has accordingly contributed to the delay and back-log of cases whilst they add to their sun-tan?

What the HELL is going on in Scotland?

We need these answers NOW?

Probably the most corrupt small country in the World?

Anonymous said...

Is it true that Mr Gill is sponsored by Ambre Solaire?

Anonymous said...

Why are we allowing our Scottish Judges to fly around the World like politicians?

Surely they cannot be trying to inflict the Scottish system on other countries?

This may well be classed as a crime against humanity?

Anonymous said...

Incidentally, if you go for a quick look at The Firm Magazine website you will see the same person (of the thorns in our flesh infamy) overtly admitting that Scottish lawyers were happily defrauding their clients by stealing the interest component of client's account balance and that this was the norm!!!!!?

Excuse me Mr Plod, this one is for you?

How many £Millions were creamed off this way?
=================================
Yes indeed I know what you mean. Well I have said repeatedly they can engineer any outcome they want in an office and that there is no complaints system. What they are collectively is an organized crime gang because they police their own and they are all regard their clients as thorns in the flesh. Don't ask questions, don't complain, we want to be allowed to steal your hard earned case. This is the attitudes they have to clients, don't get angry when we lawyers steal your assets. If we clients were doing this to lawyers they would want iron nails in our flesh, nailed to the nearest tree. I tell you in truth, we are dealing with people who are mature in the pants, they cannot understand why clients get upset when they realize lawyers have ruined them.

Finally I get e mails like everyone else stating "have you been injured in the last three years and it's not your fault, no win no fee".

I e mail them "no thanks I do not trust the legal profession because I know there is no complaints system against lawyers". My sister text lawyers stating "don't trust lawyers". Their reply, "your comment has been noted".

As I have said before I would never, never, never trust them again. If enough people adopt my attitude widespread trust in lawyers and their no complaints system will collapse. This is what the repeated cover ups will do, damaged the reputation of the whole profession.

Nothing happens complaining to the Law Society and Scottish Legal Complaints Commission other than more torture and frustration for the ruined client and a medal for the crooked lawyer. This is what their complaints system does, I know I have tried it.

THERE IS NO COMPLAINTS SYSTEM, DO NOT BELIEVE THEIR PROPAGANDA FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH AND BANK BALANCE. SELF REGULATION, REWARDING LAWYERS FOR RUINING MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

Anonymous said...

What we are debating here is how power is used. Lord Gill wants to have the power to remain anonymous in his interests which really damages his own and other judges reputations. A man in his position of having reached the top in Scotland's Victorian justice system wants to keep Victorian power structures of secrecy. It cannot continue because like the secret SLCC and Law Society we have seen the damage these two groups have done to clients.

We know there is no complaints system and there is no way of checking our judges are fit to be in court. Like self regulation a Register of Interests in being rejected because it will I believe seriously damage reputations, indeed there would probably be resignations when the truth came out. Lord President, if you want to repair your reputation set agree to the register or stand down. You do not credibly have any other choice between these parameters.

Anonymous said...

No-one would know of these criminal abuses without the DOI team, Scotland is in your debt.

Anonymous said...

Your petition is catching on in strange quarters.Tonight I was speaking to a retired senior Police Officer who claims he and his former colleagues suspected several judges of corruption and were ordered not to take matters further.He claimed some judges had been involved in incidents which should have been treated as criminal offences (one involving repeated rapes). The ones he named including the rapist have never been charged.He named another serving judge his ex colleagues suspect of deliberately undermining prosecutions and another two who are well known for giving guilty verdicts to PFs no matter how made up the evidence is.I think your petition may prompt him to speak to your friends in the newspapers.Funny old world isn't it when it takes an outsider to start a much needed serious debate on the judiciary. Anyway good luck and good work.

Anonymous said...

Lord McCluskey accused the Scottish newspapers of being above the law now its the judges who are acting like they are above the law!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/9998836/Lord-McCluskey-accuses-press-of-being-above-the-law.html

half way down the page it says

He told the committee: “It’s absurd to suggest that the press are really frightened of this. The press are united about one thing only and that’s preserving their uniquely privileged position to be above the law.”

Preserving their uniquely privileged position to be above the law sounds just like what Lord Gill is now doing about your petition and his non attendance at the parliament.Very disrespectful and whiffs of protecting his judicial pals because he knows there is something to hide.I hope the MSPs go all the way on this one and make it law.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Gill will not appear at Pet. Comm. All the huffing and puffing by MSP's will make no difference. The only way anyone will be allowed to question Gill is in camera. Great trick, increasingly being used to stifle info. re. our alleged public servants.

We, the people, must through our elected reps., DEMAND Gill's public appearance at the Pet. Comm. If he refuses to attend sack him and any other public servant avoiding being questioned by the people.

We the people are increasingly being told if we have nothing to hide we should have no fear from being spied upon by the private companies that operate CCTV, and government agencies.

Stasi Scotland is in place and our leaders are in the vanguard of those who wish to control our daily lives.

But, of course, our leaders are exempt from this intrusion and destruction of our liberties and freedoms, because they are doing a fine job and we must trust them.

Sack the lot of them, and if they have committed crimes against the people, jail them.

Keep up the excellent, hard work Peter Cherbi. The truth will out.

Hold Fast, Jim Graham.

23 April 2013 16:09
Weweweweweweweweweweweeeeee

What about the elephant in the room?

Should the MSP's not be incandescent with rage that we have convicted criminals passing themselves off as judges in Scotland?

24 April 2013 02:04
________________________

Have all morals and trust in the law in Scotland evaporated?

How have we arrived as a Society at a point where we have CONVICTED CRIMINALS passing judgement on others and that the politicians with an opportunity to pursue this hardly raise an eyebrow?

And what of the Police? Should their cars not be skidding to a halt round at the courts and putting a few arms up the backs of these crims?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Any update on if Mister Gill will go to Holyrood?

23 April 2013 15:55
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is more chance of Lord Gill summoning the whole of the Petitions Committee to his private chambers so that he can tare a strip off of all of them in secret, away from the Public's eyes?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
What we are debating here is how power is used. Lord Gill wants to have the power to remain anonymous in his interests which really damages his own and other judges reputations. A man in his position of having reached the top in Scotland's Victorian justice system wants to keep Victorian power structures of secrecy. It cannot continue because like the secret SLCC and Law Society we have seen the damage these two groups have done to clients.

We know there is no complaints system and there is no way of checking our judges are fit to be in court. Like self regulation a Register of Interests in being rejected because it will I believe seriously damage reputations, indeed there would probably be resignations when the truth came out. Lord President, if you want to repair your reputation set agree to the register or stand down. You do not credibly have any other choice between these parameters.

24 April 2013 21:26
+++++++++++++++++++

They don't CARE about reputations. Just the same way they don't CARE about the Laws-of-the-land, unless they are applying them to everyone else but themselves?

Just this evening a Treaty has been reached between the British Government and Jordan which confirms that Abu Quatada at least can be guaranteed a fair trial back in Jordan?

We cannot even guarantee this in Scotland because we have convicted criminals acting as Judges?

Anonymous said...

I want to know if these flights to far flung destinations were paid for with tax-payers cash and if so, were these flights first class?

If so, what other lavish expenses are being racketed up paid for by the tax-payer?

How can a small country like Scotland afford this?

Anonymous said...

With a Registers of Judges Interests being an essential part of ensuring transparency and that our judges can be PROVEN to be incorruptible, what about all of the times that a court case calls LATE after the Judge has not turned up on time.......?

Or what about the number of cases that are halted early? Is this so that the Judge can spend the rest of his working day relaxing on the golf course?

Anonymous said...

I'm not so sure Scotland is getting value for money at a rate of around £1,000.00 per day?

With all of this nonsense going on I am not sure if we would have value for money at a rate of around £100 per day?

Anonymous said...

What made the Petitions Committee think they were any different to the police and the crown prosecution service?

Anonymous said...

30 years on from the Magic Circle cover-up.......?

What has changed?

Anonymous said...

Update

Another chilling lurch towards a secret state

By Daily Mail Comment

PUBLISHED: 00:17, 25 April 2013 | UPDATED: 00:17, 25 April 2013

Few people in this country will ever have heard of the Court of Protection, which was set up in 2005 under Labour’s Mental Capacity Act.

Even fewer will be aware of the sweeping powers it holds – or the fact that it deals with 2,700 cases every year.

True, not all of the hearings are controversial. Much of its work involves the onerous and delicate task of deciding which family member should take charge of the financial affairs of an elderly parent suffering from dementia, for example.

John Maddocks was being held in a care home against his families wishes under the Labour
government's Mental Capacity Act
Wanda Maddocks was jailed 'in secret' for trying to remove her father from a care home where his family thought he was in danger of dying

Wanda Maddocks was jailed 'in secret' for trying to remove her father John Maddocks from a care home where his family thought he was in danger of dying

But what is frightening about the court is the secrecy surrounding it, [AGAIN WE SEE THE DANGERS OF THE JUDICIARY] with practically every sitting taking place in private. [NOT A JUSTICE SYSTEM].

Entirely behind closed doors, it can order the vulnerable be removed from their families and handed over to the care of the State, or that a gravely-ill patient should no longer be given food or water by doctors. [THE LIVERPOOL CARE PATHWAY, REMOVING TREATMENT TO HASTEN DEATH WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF RELATIVES].

Incredibly, it can even send people to jail if they ignore the court’s rulings.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2314404/Another-chilling-lurch-secret-state.html#ixzz2RSqRRrjG
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

THE PUBLIC ARE THE STATE, WE DEMAND THE ABOLITION OF SECRECY IN COURT AND IN THE JUDICIARY. JUST LIKE THEY CAN SEND SOMEONE THE THEIR PSYCHIATRIC GULAGS IF THEY ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE POWERS THAT BE, IT WAS REPORTED ON SCOTTISH LAW REPORTER, THE TITLE WAS "CAMPAIGNERS RISK THEIR LIVES".

Anonymous said...

We need powers to remove corrupt judges, there is no justice without public scrutiny, and only the unjust want to keep the public in the dark.

Anonymous said...

What is of great interest here is the Judgement of Mr Gill?

Do we really need a Lord President who's Judgement over whether our Scottish Judges are fit to practise is so antiquated and apparently based on self interest and secrecy?

Anywhere there is secrecy, there is corruption?

What is the saying, 'ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY'?

I believe that Mr Gill has been caught with his proverbial pants down on this one and his stance has hi lighted just how much mistrust the Scottish People have in Scotland's judiciary, brought upon by their own conduct?

Anonymous said...

Is Scotland the only country in the whole World that have convicted criminals acting as judges?

Anonymous said...

Is the real reason that Lord Gill does not want to appear before the committee because he doesn't want to be caught out the same way that Douglas Mill was caught out regarding his spinning granny?

Anonymous said...

It must be criminal the amount of torture these crooks masquerading as a profession have inflicted on the public over the centuries. Where there is no scrutiny there is no justice, indeed secrecy and justice are mutually exclusive. It must end at all costs if these people are have any credibility.

Trust none of them. DOI are a wonderful lens into the bureaucratic secret world of a group who claim to be just but don't want to be transparent to the public themselves. Your money and your quality of life are not safe in their hands.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

My thanks go out to all of the hardworking journalists at the DOI for staying true to their moral guidelines and shining the light of truth and transparency on the dark and dingy Scottish legal system?

Well done too the Sunday Mail for ripping up the 'D' Notices and telling their oppressors to stick it where the sun don't shine?

By opposing and rejecting the strangulating 'D' Notices and risking to break free they are being rewarded by the support and genuine love and respect from the People of Scotland and it should be of no surprise that they are being rewarded in increased sales as a direct consequence of acting in the Public Interest?
===============================
Yes indeed you are 100% correct my friend they are all a credit to Scotland. We are proud of everyone dedicated to exposing the systemic corruption in this sinister profession. Regarding A Diary of Injustice I discovered it a few years ago and I encourage everyone I know to read and contribute to it via the comments faculty.
My reaction was this blog is brilliant.

As an angry lawyer wrote "I see you have friends Mr Cherbi but I am not one of them. Pity someone would not blow you up". Charming chap, well clearly he did not like a spoonful of the medicine they dish out, he never said DOI were untruthful because he knew they are telling the truth. Well his cage was clearly rattled and not a professional way for someone to behave. Keep up the good work ladies and gents of the Diary of Injustice team, you are a credit to Scotland.

Anonymous said...


Diary of Injustice said...

For readers who are speculating if Mr Dunion may be in a position to speak out on the operation of the SLCC, it should be kept in mind Section 43 (4) the LPLA (Scotland) Act 2007 makes it a criminal offence for anyone at the SLCC to do so.This clause was insisted upon by the legal profession and Scottish Executive prior to the act passing in the Scottish Parliament in December 2006.
==============================
Mr Dunion if you want to speak out and you cannot it would be better to leave now [assuming you have already joined the SLCC of course]. But of course all readers of A Diary of Injustice speak out to their friends, family and anyone else about grubby lawyers who want clients money.

We will "save justice" Mr Laugherty, quite like that spelling, by telling everyone what crooks the Scottish Legal Profession really are.

We are in a transitional period where lawyers have to adjust to more scrutiny from the public, and they better get used to it because as one ruined client, I make it my business to warn as many other people as I can, there is no complaints system against lawyer thieves.

Anonymous said...

Yes so I see this judge is all over the place on the web in pictures and attending everything abroad.So why is this going on and why dont we get to hear about it such as in Press Releases of Lord President Off to China again etc or are we not supposed to know what is going on(more likely scenario)
Just the discussion on your petition is revealing a lot about these judges I am sure they dont want us to find out about!

Anonymous said...

Is it any wonder that these people are crooks when they designed their own system? Turkeys are never going to vote for Christmas. They have prisons but they design systems to avoid prison, where robbery of clients assets is legal because the client cannot enforce illegality. The truth is that in the lawyer client relationship there is no legality, no boundaries which control lawyers when they cross the theft line.

If the Police were like civil lawyers, and someone attacked you in the street you then report the attack and the Police beat you up. This is what self regulation is, the Law Society and SLCC attacking the client by not helping them and protecting the lawyer thief who ruined you. Trouble is they keep ruining clients until one day someone says I am not standing for this treatment, good on you Peter Cherbi.

Anonymous said...

I wonder, has Lord Gill consulted his fellow judges on this matter or has he taken a unilateral decision, which may or may not have the support of his colleagues?

Anonymous said...

Will he show up or not?Whatever happens next in this your politicians need to get a move on and legislate for a register of judicial interests,and other countries should take note of this and do the same!
Well done for catching out the judges on such a basic issue of transparency!

Anonymous said...

Will the Law Society of Scotland be reading the Riot Act to all of the members of the Petitions Committee for having the audacity to challenge the supremeness of Scottish lawyers/Judges and reminding them of their place in the hierarchy of crooketry in Scotland?

Anonymous said...

Does this scandal not highlight that the most important aspect of jurisprudence for Judges is for them to be able to PROVE to the members of the Scottish Public that they are:

1) Honest?

2) Transparent?

3) Responsible for their actions?

4) Properly qualified to act?

5) Properly trained on an ongoing basis?

6) Courteous to all court users?

7) Good time keepers?

8) Efficient?

9) They always act within the law?

10) They recuse themselves when it is appropriate for them to do so?

11) They always act in the interests of the Scottish Public and not for partial interests?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
No-one would know of these criminal abuses without the DOI team, Scotland is in your debt.

24 April 2013 23:21
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The journalists working for DOI are Scotland's sons & daughters.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Your petition is catching on in strange quarters.Tonight I was speaking to a retired senior Police Officer who claims he and his former colleagues suspected several judges of corruption and were ordered not to take matters further.He claimed some judges had been involved in incidents which should have been treated as criminal offences (one involving repeated rapes). The ones he named including the rapist have never been charged.He named another serving judge his ex colleagues suspect of deliberately undermining prosecutions and another two who are well known for giving guilty verdicts to PFs no matter how made up the evidence is.I think your petition may prompt him to speak to your friends in the newspapers.Funny old world isn't it when it takes an outsider to start a much needed serious debate on the judiciary. Anyway good luck and good work.

24 April 2013 23:54
fufufufufufufufufufufufufufufuf

This incestuous problem has been created over time because Scotland's police have been far to subservient to their criminal Crown Office controllers?

As soon as they break free from their shackles and act in the Public Interest the sooner Scotland can get back on a Just & balanced footing?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...

My thanks go out to all of the hardworking journalists at the DOI for staying true to their moral guidelines and shining the light of truth and transparency on the dark and dingy Scottish legal system?

Well done too the Sunday Mail for ripping up the 'D' Notices and telling their oppressors to stick it where the sun don't shine?

By opposing and rejecting the strangulating 'D' Notices and risking to break free they are being rewarded by the support and genuine love and respect from the People of Scotland and it should be of no surprise that they are being rewarded in increased sales as a direct consequence of acting in the Public Interest?
===============================
Yes indeed you are 100% correct my friend they are all a credit to Scotland. We are proud of everyone dedicated to exposing the systemic corruption in this sinister profession. Regarding A Diary of Injustice I discovered it a few years ago and I encourage everyone I know to read and contribute to it via the comments faculty.
My reaction was this blog is brilliant.

As an angry lawyer wrote "I see you have friends Mr Cherbi but I am not one of them. Pity someone would not blow you up". Charming chap, well clearly he did not like a spoonful of the medicine they dish out, he never said DOI were untruthful because he knew they are telling the truth. Well his cage was clearly rattled and not a professional way for someone to behave. Keep up the good work ladies and gents of the Diary of Injustice team, you are a credit to Scotland.

25 April 2013 16:35
_______~_~_~_~__~_~_,_<__

L. Cumming knows this only too well.....

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Is it any wonder that these people are crooks when they designed their own system? Turkeys are never going to vote for Christmas. They have prisons but they design systems to avoid prison, where robbery of clients assets is legal because the client cannot enforce illegality. The truth is that in the lawyer client relationship there is no legality, no boundaries which control lawyers when they cross the theft line.

If the Police were like civil lawyers, and someone attacked you in the street you then report the attack and the Police beat you up. This is what self regulation is, the Law Society and SLCC attacking the client by not helping them and protecting the lawyer thief who ruined you. Trouble is they keep ruining clients until one day someone says I am not standing for this treatment, good on you Peter Cherbi.

25 April 2013 19:25
())()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Peter Cherbi is a modern day William Wallace?

Standing up against tyranny, evil & corruption against the Scot's People?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Will he show up or not?Whatever happens next in this your politicians need to get a move on and legislate for a register of judicial interests,and other countries should take note of this and do the same!
Well done for catching out the judges on such a basic issue of transparency!

26 April 2013 00:21
cccccccccccccccccccccccv

Most country's all ready do?

It's just the criminal element in Scotland who continue to take advantage of the Scottish good-character & natural conservatism with the intention of filling-their-boots, whilst getting drunk on power?

Anonymous said...

Haha the judge will go to Taiwan but not his own parliament in Edinburgh.What does this tell us about these judges and their view of a parliamentary democracy?
Right - they don't believe in it!

Anonymous said...

What a sneaky bunch?

Everyone I have told about this crisis (Note that the status quo news media are instructed not to dare report on this) agrees with me that they just assumed that the Judges just had to have a Register of their interests because otherwise they would be totally devoid of scruples and be too secretive?

Anonymous said...

Judge Lord Gill and his international travel destinations are very interesting.I am sure others around the world are reading this and taking an interest as well as the purpose of these trips.Is there something going on here we should be told about other than just a judge jetting around?One wonders why it has taken your petition and investigations for this information to surface at this time.The politician in your video clip asks what is there to hide.I think there is a great deal to hide and this is why the judge is so opposed to your register of interests for the judiciary.