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Chris Miller

Chris called to the Scottish Bar in 2020 and has developed a busy mixed practice of Criminal and Civil Law, including Criminal Trials, Criminal Appeals, Human Rights, Extradition, Personal Injury, and Medical Negligence.

He has appeared extensively as Junior Counsel alone and with Senior Counsel in the Sheriff Courts, The Court of Session, and The High Court of Justiciary at First Instance and Appellate level. He has a particular interest in Appellate Advocacy. He is an Ad-Hoc Advocate Depute in the Criminal Appeal Courts.

Selected Cases

His Majesty’s Advocate v Raeburn [2023] HCJAC 11 – Junior Defence Counsel Alone in Crown Appeal Unduly Lenient Sentence in relation to breaches of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order in terms of Section 113 (1) (a) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

His Majesty’s Advocate v Mitchell & Curtis [2023] – Junior Defence Counsel to Senior Defence Counsel in High Court Trial involving allegations of assaulting and abducting the Sheriff of Grampian, Highland, and Islands at Banff, and violating Section 38 of the Criminal Justice & Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 by way of inter alia posting content on Social Media regarding the assassination of the First Minister of Scotland.

His Majesty’s Advocate v W [2023] – Junior Defence Counsel Alone in Successful Defence at Sheriff and Jury Trial against allegations of ‘Sextortion’ on Social Media, including the crime of extortion at common law, and violations of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009

His Majesty’s Advocate v LB, JI, and JT [2022] HCJAC 48 – Junior Counsel to Senior Counsel for the Third Respondent in Crown Appeal Against Unduly Lenient Sentences in relation to the crime of rape, in which The Lord Advocate requested a Guideline Judgment from the High Court of Justiciary Appeal Court. It was successfully argued on behalf of the Third Respondent that the sentence imposed was not unduly lenient, and the Crown Appeal was refused to that extent. The Court was furthermore not persuaded that a Guideline Judgment should be issued.

Valerie Hayes & Others v The Lord Advocate on behalf of the United States of America [2022] HCJAC 6 / [2021] SC Edin 50 – Junior Counsel to Leading Junior Counsel in Extradition Hearing and Appeal Against Extradition to USA concerning Article 3 ECHR in the context of mandatory sentences of life without parole for lesser crimes than murder.

Patyk v Her Majesty’s Advocate [2022] – Junior Counsel Alone in Successful Appeal against Sentence in the High Court of Justiciary Appeal Court through reduction of headline sentence for convictions for offences of violence and disorder aggravated in terms of Section 1 of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016.

Her Majesty’s Advocate v Loftus [2022] – Junior Crown Counsel in Successful Prosecution for historic physical and sexual abuse of multiple complainers. The case involved extensive preparation and proactive consideration of legal issues regarding the Law of Evidence during the trial.

Munro v Procurator Fiscal, Dumbarton [2021] SAC/000109/BA – Junior Counsel to the Dean of Faculty in Successful Appeal against Refusal of Bail in the context of extended period of remands due to the COVID-19 backlog of criminal trials.

John Riddell as Executor Dative of the late Valerie Riddell v Arcus Solutions (Holdings) Limited [2022] SC Edin 1 – Junior Counsel alone in Diet of Debate in the National Personal Injury Court and subsequent Appeal to the Sheriff Appeal Court on the issue of whether the surviving spouse of a deceased who has not been appointed Executor-Dative but who has the right to be so appointed in terms of Section 9 of the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964 has title to sue in such capacity.

McArthur & Others v Timberbush Tours & Others [2021] CSOH 75 – Junior Counsel Alone in Court of Session Diet of Proof on Quantum and Contributory Negligence in the context of claims advanced under Sections 2 and 4 of the Damages (Scotland) Act 2011.