The Criminal Appeal Court is set to become the first criminal court in Scotland with a regular livestreaming service, allowing hearings that can be viewed online by the public.

Starting 29th August, jury criminal appeals will be livestreamed for the first time, marking what the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) believes will be a major step toward greater public access and transparency around judicial proceedings.

Criminal Appeal Court Live will initially only feature appeals against conviction, along with prosecution appeals against sentence, while prisoners giving evidence and appeals featuring new witnesses will not be broadcast. 

While cameras have been allowed in Scottish courts since 1992, sentencing was not filmed until 2012. However, the broadcast of court proceedings has been more regular since 2023 after the introduction of livestreaming in Scotland’s highest civil court, the Court of Session, with some high-profile hearings reaching viewing figures of more than 5,000.

Once launched, the Criminal Appeal Court will be the first criminal court in Scotland to have a regular livestream, with plans including an ‘on demand’ feature for some hearings, allowing the public to stream at their convenience.

“The principle of open justice is fundamental to our legal system and, indeed, the stability of our country,” said Lord Pentland, Scotland’s Lord Justice General and the most senior judge in Scotland.

“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.

“This is an important step in ensuring that justice can be seen to be done in today’s digitally driven world.”

While the courtroom, which sits in Parliament House, Edinburgh, can physically fit fewer than a hundred people, it has now been fitted with new equipment that can be controlled by a camera operator to ensure high standards of audio and visual output for potentially thousands watching at home.

The first case to be broadcast live will involve an unnamed woman, accused of offences against two children, according to BBC reports, however defence lawyers have successfully delayed the trial on previous occasions.

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Before the livestreamed hearings begin, featuring arguments from both the prosecutor and defence advocates, the SCTS website will provide additional information for those watching on the upcoming cases, including a brief outline of the appeal and any written decision of the court.

“This is a significant progression in our livestreaming journey and marks an important milestone for Scotland’s courts,” said Lord Clark, who leads the livestreaming project.

“I’m confident that the move into criminal appeals will also attract a high level of interest and bring additional benefits to those who use our courts.”

Despite being lauded, the decision to livestream court hearings comes with some risk. Late last year, a report from the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research claimed that the Scottish Parliament’s live video streams and recorded broadcasts were vulnerable to deepfake tech and livestreams being hacked.