Duncan Menzies, Lord Menzies
Encyclopedia
Duncan Adam Young Menzies, Lord Menzies QC
(born 28 August 1953) is a judge
of the Supreme Courts of Scotland
.
Cargilfield Preparatory School
in Edinburgh
, before obtaining a scholarship to Glenalmond College
, Perthshire
. He achieved a further scholarship to study at Wadham College
, University of Oxford
(MA), and then studied at the School of Law
of the University of Edinburgh
(LLB). He was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates
in 1978 and from 1984 to 1991 was Standing Junior Counsel to the Admiralty
. He took silk
in 1991. He stood as the Conservative
candidate for Midlothian
in 1983
, and for Edinburgh Leith in 1987
, but was unsuccessful both times.
, and became Home Advocate Depute in September that year, replacing Alastair Campbell
, who resigned to concentrate on his role in the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing trial
. Menzies served in this role until December 2000.
Menzies was appointed a Senator of the College of Justice
, a judge of the Court of Session
and High Court of Justiciary
, Scotland's supreme courts, in July 2001, taking the judicial title, Lord Menzies. He sat as the presiding judge in the Angelika Kluk murder case
.
and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, and a founding member of the Scottish Wine Society. He lives in Edinburgh.
Queen'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...
(born 28 August 1953) is a judge
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...
of the Supreme Courts of Scotland
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...
.
Early life
Menzies was educated at the independentIndependent school (UK)
An independent school is a school that is not financed through the taxation system by local or national government and is instead funded by private sources, predominantly in the form of tuition charges, gifts and long-term charitable endowments, and so is not subject to the conditions imposed by...
Cargilfield Preparatory School
Cargilfield Preparatory School
Cargilfield Preparatory School is a private co-educational prep school in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was founded in 1873.-Headteacher:The Headmaster is John Elder, whose most reported act so far has been to abolish homework.-Description:...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, before obtaining a scholarship to Glenalmond College
Glenalmond College
Glenalmond College is a co-educational independent boarding school in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, for children aged between 12 and 18 years. It is situated on the River Almond near the village of Methven, about west of the city of Perth. The school's motto is Floreat Glenalmond...
, Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
. He achieved a further scholarship to study at Wadham College
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
(MA), and then studied at the School of Law
University of Edinburgh School of Law
The University of Edinburgh School of Law, founded in 1707, is a school within the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, dedicated to research and teaching in law. Known today as Edinburgh Law School, it is located in the historic Old College, the original site of the University...
of the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
(LLB). He 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 1978 and from 1984 to 1991 was Standing Junior Counsel to the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
. He took silk
Queen'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 1991. He stood as the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
candidate for Midlothian
Midlothian (UK Parliament constituency)
Midlothian in Scotland, is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system....
in 1983
United Kingdom general election, 1983
The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945...
, and for Edinburgh Leith in 1987
United Kingdom general election, 1987
The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd...
, but was unsuccessful both times.
Legal career
He served as a Temporary Sheriff from 1996 to 1997, and as Chairman of the Scottish Planning, Local Government and Environmental Bar Group from 1997 to 2001. He was appointed an Advocate Depute in January 1998, replacing Alan Turnbull QCAlan Turnbull, Lord Turnbull
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.-Early life:...
, and became Home Advocate Depute in September that year, replacing Alastair Campbell
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...
, who resigned to concentrate on his role 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...
. Menzies served in this role until December 2000.
Menzies 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...
, Scotland's supreme courts, in July 2001, taking the judicial title, Lord Menzies. He sat as the presiding judge in the Angelika Kluk murder case
Angelika Kluk murder case
The Angelika Kluk murder case was a criminal trial that took place at the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, between 23 March and 4 May 2007....
.
Personal life
Lord Menzies married Hilary Elizabeth McLauchlan Weston in 1979, with whom he has two sons. His interests include shooting, golf and wine, and he is a member of the von Poser Society of Scotland, the Saintsbury Club, the New ClubNew Club
The New Club, established in 1787, is a private club in the New Town area of Edinburgh, Scotland.The Club originally met in Bayle's Tavern in Shakespeare Square at the east end of Princes Street. It then acquired its own premises in St Andrew's Square before moving to its present site at 86 Princes...
and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, and a founding member of the Scottish Wine Society. He lives in Edinburgh.