Thread by @BBCPhilipSim

Back at the Court of Session for the latest Article 50 wranglings; petitioners want the court to use its “nobile officium” power to effectively sign the letter to EU asking for an extension if Boris Johnson refuses to. Expecting today to be brief, main arguments probably Thursday

The main thing I’ve learned from Aidan O’Neill’s submission so far is that nobile officium is pronounced no-beel off-iss-ee-um. Crucially I believe it can also be shortened, in writing, to “nob off”.

Huh. The lawyer representing the uk government - who are opposing an expedited timetable for the case - is pronouncing it “nob-il-ay off-icky-um”. Hoping Lord Pentland can settle this, if nothing else, today

This is very much a procedural hearing, rather than the substantive one; debate as to what time various emails were sent, and how long parties should have to consider submissions

Lawyer for UK govt says she’s not even sure what position her clients would want to take on this, and needs “a bit more time”; “it is simply not realistic to expect the government, on a matter as crucial as this, to provide answers inside 24 hours”

Breaking: Lord Pentland has sided with all the Latin pedants in my mentions, and gone with “nob-eel off-icky-um”. #NobOff

Aidan O’Neill is sticking to his guns with the soft C in officium. He’s arguing that the government has had plenty of time to consider the merits of the case, as the petition was served weeks ago; but he’s “not particularly” opposed to having the substantive hearing on Friday.

Lord Pentland sets the substantive hearing for the “nobile officium” Article 50 case for 11am on Friday. Plan would be for arguments to be heard in court that day, with a judgement hopefully out on Monday.

Each side gets eight pages of A4, double spaced, font size 12 for their notes of argument. And they’ll have two hours each to put them forward on court on Friday.

To be clear, Friday's hearing is an Outer House one, before Lord Pentland. Expecting him to issue a judgement on Monday, and further arguments to be heard in the Inner House thereafter. I *think* the IH hearing will chiefly concern the nobile officium part, and OH other remedies.