Alan Turnbull, Lord Turnbull
Encyclopedia
Alan Turnbull, Lord Turnbull is a Scottish
lawyer, and a Senator of the College of Justice
, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts
. He was one of the lead prosecutors in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
.
of the University of Dundee
, graduating in 1979, and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in 1982.
in 1996, and returning to private practice in 1997. In 1998, was appointed one of two senior prosecuting counsel in the Lockerbie bombing trial
, along with Alastair Campbell QC
(now Lord Bracadale). In February 2001, he was appointed Principal Advocate Depute, resigning to return to private practice in 2006. He was succeeded as Principal Advocate Depute by John Beckett QC
, who would later serve as Solicitor General
. being appointed to the Bench later that year.
During his time working as Crown Prosecutor, Alan Turnbull prosecuted Scotland's most difficult criminal cases including that of William Beggs, known as the "Limbs in the Loch" murder. Other notable cases included Luke Mitchell, who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Jodi Jones, in Dalkeith
; and businessman Nat Fraser, who was convicted of killing his wife, Arlene Fraser, in January 2003.
In 2006, Turnbull was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice
, a judge of the Court of Session
and High Court of Justiciary
, the Supreme Courts of Scotland, with the judicial title, Lord Turnbull. He was at the time Scotland's youngest judge, at the age of forty-seven. He sits in the Outer House
. One of his first cases on the Bench was Sheridan v News International
, the Tommy Sheridan libel case against the publishers of the News of the World
where he, perhaps controversially, effectively set aside the decision of the jury which was in favour of Sheridan. In 2008, his former university awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
lawyer, and a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts
College of Justice
The College of Justice is a term used to describe the Supreme Courts of Scotland, and its associated bodies.The constituent bodies of the supreme courts of Scotland are the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary, and the Accountant of Court's Office...
. He was one of the lead prosecutors in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
The Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial began on 3 May 2000, 11 years, 4 months and 13 days after the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988...
.
Early life
Turnbull attended Dunfermline High School before studying at the School of LawUniversity of Dundee School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Dundee in Dundee, Scotland provides undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Scottish and English Law. It is the only institution in the United Kingdom to permit students to qualify into all three UK legal jurisdictions...
of the University of Dundee
University of Dundee
The University of Dundee is a university based in the city and Royal burgh of Dundee on eastern coast of the central Lowlands of Scotland and with a small number of institutions elsewhere....
, graduating in 1979, and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
Faculty of Advocates
The Faculty of Advocates is an independent body of lawyers who have been admitted to practise as advocates before the courts of Scotland, especially the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary...
in 1982.
Legal career
Turnbull worked initially in general practice at the Bar, but by 1988 had developed specialities in criminal defence and fraud. He was appointed an Advocate Depute in 1995, taking silkQueen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1996, and returning to private practice in 1997. In 1998, was appointed one of two senior prosecuting counsel in the Lockerbie bombing trial
Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
The Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial began on 3 May 2000, 11 years, 4 months and 13 days after the destruction of Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988...
, along with Alastair Campbell QC
Alastair Campbell, Lord Bracadale
Alastair Peter Campbell, Lord Bracadale, QC is a Scottish advocate and Senator of the College of Justice.-Early life:Campbell was born on 18 September 1949 in Skye, Scotland, to Rev. Donald Campbell and Margaret Campbell, although his family moved to Edinburgh when he was just two years old, where...
(now Lord Bracadale). In February 2001, he was appointed Principal Advocate Depute, resigning to return to private practice in 2006. He was succeeded as Principal Advocate Depute by John Beckett QC
John Beckett (lawyer)
John Beckett QC is a Scottish lawyer who was Solicitor General for Scotland, the country's junior Law Officer from October 2006 to May 2007. He was appointed by Labour First Minister Jack McConnell on the appointment of former Solicitor General Elish Angiolini to the senior role of Lord Advocate...
, who would later serve as Solicitor General
Solicitor General for Scotland
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
. being appointed to the Bench later that year.
During his time working as Crown Prosecutor, Alan Turnbull prosecuted Scotland's most difficult criminal cases including that of William Beggs, known as the "Limbs in the Loch" murder. Other notable cases included Luke Mitchell, who was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Jodi Jones, in Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
; and businessman Nat Fraser, who was convicted of killing his wife, Arlene Fraser, in January 2003.
In 2006, Turnbull was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice
Senator of the College of Justice
The Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
, a judge of the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
and High Court of Justiciary
High Court of Justiciary
The High Court of Justiciary is the supreme criminal court of Scotland.The High Court is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal. As a court of first instance, the High Court sits mainly in Parliament House, or in the former Sheriff Court building, in Edinburgh, but also sits from time...
, the Supreme Courts of Scotland, with the judicial title, Lord Turnbull. He was at the time Scotland's youngest judge, at the age of forty-seven. He sits in the Outer House
Outer House
The Outer House is one of the two parts of the Scottish Court of Session, which is the supreme civil court in Scotland. It is a court of first instance, although some statutory appeals are remitted to it by the other more senior part, the Inner House...
. One of his first cases on the Bench was Sheridan v News International
Sheridan v News International
Sheridan v News Group Newspapers is a civil court case brought by Tommy Sheridan against the publishers of the News of the World, which began in the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Scotland, on 4 July 2006...
, the Tommy Sheridan libel case against the publishers of the News of the World
News of the World
The News of the World was a national red top newspaper published in the United Kingdom from 1843 to 2011. It was at one time the biggest selling English language newspaper in the world, and at closure still had one of the highest English language circulations...
where he, perhaps controversially, effectively set aside the decision of the jury which was in favour of Sheridan. In 2008, his former university awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws.