In March 2025, ERCS submitted a complaint to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee on the Scottish Civil Justice Council’s failure to publicly consult on proposed changes to rules ...
Reforming legal aid to deliver environmental justice
A new ERCS briefing discusses the importance of amending Regulation 15 of the Civil Legal Aid (Scotland) Regulations 2002 to enable public interest environmental litigation and increase access to environmental justice. The briefing summarises evidence supplied by ERCS legal director Ben Christman to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights, and Civil Justice Committee in November 2024, which highlights how the ‘joint interest test’ specified under Regulation 15 of the Civil Legal Aid Regulations 2002 makes it difficult to obtain legal aid for environmental cases. ERCS recommends that Regulation 15 is amended so that it does not apply to cases falling within the scope of the Aarhus Convention. Read the briefing
Environmental campaigners rally outside Court of Session as Scottish Government misses access to justice deadline – press release
Environmental and human rights campaigners today rallied outside the Court of Session to mark the Scottish Government missing a crucial deadline for compliance with the with the UN Aarhus Convention’s access to justice requirements ...
New briefing calls for urgent reform to Scotland’s legal aid system
A new briefing, jointly authored by ERCS, the Human Rights Consortium Scotland and JustRight Scotland, calls for urgent reform to improve Scotland's civil legal aid system and increase access to justice ...
Wyndford Residents Union: Defending residents’ rights
The Wyndford Residents Union is fighting to save their home from one of Scotland’s biggest demolition projects proposed by Wheatley Homes Glasgow ...
Campaigners slam Scottish Civil Justice Council for refusing to consult on changes to legal expenses – press release
Campaigners have criticised the Scottish Civil Justice Council (SCJC), for its lack of transparency in undertaking a review of legal expenses ...
New briefing: Investigation reveals why legal expenses regime needs reform
In October 2021, ERCS submitted a FOI request as part of an investigation into the impact of Protective Expenses Orders. The information disclosed reveals how the current system continues to act as a barrier to justice ...
Autumn e-bulletin
Check out our autumn e-bulletin. Read our blogs. Sign up to our online Meet ERCS event on 29 November. Our new FAQs and more …
