Lord Carloway takes over as Scotland's most senior judge

Lord Carloway has been named the head of Scotland's judiciary.

Lord Carloway, who had served as Lord Justice Clerk since August 2012, succeeds Lord Gill as Lord President of the Court of Session.

Lord Gill retired as the country's most senior judge in May, with a panel set up to recommend candidates to replace him.​

The announcement comes a week after the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, which implements a number of recommendations from a review of criminal law undertaken by Lord Carloway in 2011, was passed by parliament.

However, provisions that would have implemented his call for the corroboration requirement to be scrapped in criminal trials were removed from the bill in the face of opposition from MSPs and parts of the legal profession.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the judge, who will be replaced as chair of the newly-formed Scottish Sentencing Council by his incoming Lord Justice Clerk, is a “worthy successor”.

“Lord Carloway has a wide breadth of experience in both the civil and criminal spheres and his commitment to continuing reform and modernisation of our justice system is clear,” she said.

“Under his leadership I am confident that the already substantial improvements to Scotland’s courts will continue.”

Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, James Wolffe QC, said the former Lord Justice Clerk takes over at an “important time for our legal system as it responds to technological, social and institutional change”. 

Wolffe added: “His appointment as head of Scotland’s judiciary is richly merited - having regard not only to his personal qualities but to his distinguished career of service, as an advocate before his appointment to the Bench in 2000, as a judge since that date, and since 2012 as Lord Justice Clerk.”

Lord Carloway was appointed a Judge in February 2000 and was elevated to the Inner House of the Court of Session in August 2008.