BY MONDAY in Parliament Square, there was no sign of last week’s media excitement surrounding the Colin Montgomerie divorce proceedings in the Court of Session. Lord Doherty would no longer have to rule who should pay what to whom for what with the Scottish golfer and his wife Gaynor reaching an out-of-court settlement at the weekend. Presumably this was in an effort to avoid more embarrassing details emerging during the court proceeding, although it could be argued it could hardly have got more excruciating for “Monty”. By then, his financial adviser had already acknowledged to the former Ryder cup Captain’s QC Kenneth McBrearty that Montgomerie was naïve in financial matters and that the family house at the centre of the dispute is now worth less than the amount the couple had spent renovating it – complete with cellar and “trophy” room. Montgomerie is now apparently living with his father in Troon. At least the meter on the legal bills has stopped running.
IN THE WEEK that saw Theresa May visit Scotland before triggering Article 50 on Wednesday, the Daily Mail excelled themselves with a headline discussing the respective merits of the Prime Minister’s legs versus the legs of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. “Who won ‘Legs-it’?” roared the front page, over a photo taken during a brief meeting between the two in Glasgow. (Never mind issues like, say, Brexit, the Union, potential second Independence referendum, or the limits of devolution.) Media lawyers will be aware that without a complaint from one of the parties (no such complaint was forthcoming) no action can be taken against the newspaper, but that did not stop a general outcry and much mockery on social media. SNP MP (and WS) Tasminah Ahmed-Sheikh appeared alongside Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale on BBC news, illustrating that one of the few issues that can unite the two parties is a shared opinion of the Daily Mail. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson also tweeted a picture of her feet in her hot tub in an ironic show of solidarity.
A SPECIAL LUNCH party takes place on Thursday at the Signet Library. Former DKS Peter Millar celebrates a particular milestone in 2017 and current DKS Caroline Docherty hosted a get-together of former DKS and spouses to mark the occasion. Also attending was the Keeper of the Signet, Lord Mackay of Clashfern KT, and Lady Mackay. Peter Millar will be presented with a special gift and the occasion captured by photographer Albie Clark.
THE STORYVILLE strand on the BBC iPlayer is providing a particularly rich seam of legal documentaries just now. Killing for Love tells the incredible story of a notorious Virginia murder trial in the US in the early 90s. Hard to top for sheer entertainment is Client 9, the story of the downfall of Eliot Spitzer, New York attorney general and scourge of Wall Street in the early 2000’s. The supporting cast of financial masters of the universe, “escorts” and hard-nosed politicians is a 21st century collection of Boardwalk Empire characters straight out of a Martin Scorsese casting call. Also on the iPlayer the series American Justice continues, an eye-watering glimpse into the justice system in Florida as hardline Republican State Attorney AngelaCorey seeks re-election in the “murder capital” of America. If all that fly-on-the –wall drama hasn’t satisfied viewers’ appetites for courtroom drama, The Good Fight begins this week on More4, a spin-off from the Emmy award winning legal drama The Good Wife.
— “Writer”
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