Judges have been urged to finally resolve the "festering issue" of whether Holyrood has the legal power to hold a referendum on independence without Westminster approval.
The Supreme Court in London met today to hear arguments for and against Nicola Sturgeon's plan to hold an IndyRef2 next year.
But Scots were warned by judge Lord Reed it could take "some months" before a judgement is published as more than 8,000 legal papers must be examined.