Laura Duncan (sheriff)

Laura Duncan, advocate and Sheriff of Glasgow and Strathkelvin.

The Honourable
Sheriff Laura Duncan
Sheriff of Glasgow and Strathkelvin
In office
1982–2006
Personal details
Alma materUniversity of Glasgow
ProfessionAdvocate

A Sheriff at Glasgow Sheriff Court, reputed to be the busiest court in Europe, Laura Duncan was born on 17 June 1947 and educated at the Hamilton Academy and the University of Glasgow. Qualifying as a solicitor in 1969 she was two years in private practice before joining the Procurator Fiscal Service.

Deciding to become an Advocate, Duncan was admitted to the bar in 1976. In 1982 she was appointed a floating sheriff and the following year this made a permanent appointment. In 2002 Sheriff Duncan made a landmark court ruling, deciding that a homosexual man who had acted as a sperm donor for a lesbian couple had the same rights as a heterosexual father.[1] Sheriff Duncan retired from the bench in 2006.

A keen sailor, Laura Duncan won the Scottish ladies' single-handed dinghy championships in 1990.[2][3]

References
  1. The Scotsman newspaper, article Gay sperm donor wins full parental rights 8 March 2002. Retrieved 2011-06-21
  2. The Herald newspaper, article 8 March 2002. Retrieved 2011-06-21
  3. The Times newspaper, article Birthdays June 16 & 17, published 16 June 2007. Retrieved 2011-06-21


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