LAWYERS have been banned from using iPads in a court.

Officials at Paisley Sheriff Court have put up a notice warning that the use of the handheld computers in court is "forbidden", unless solicitors have "obtained the prior consent for such use from the presiding sheriff".

But the ban has been criticised by lawyer Stuart Munro, of Glasgow-based Livingstone Brown Solicitors.

Mr Munro said he was "astonished" officials would try to ban the use of technology in court. He put a photograph of the ban notice on the Twitter networking site.

The move at Paisley Sheriff Court comes nine months after a trial was adjourned at the court because a lawyer was using an iPad.

Upon seeing the defence agent read notes from his tablet, Sheriff James Spy said he had not asked the court's permission to use the device and should not have assumed the bench would allow it in court.

The lawyer was asked to print his notes.