In December 1677, Janet McNair, a resident of Stirling, found herself ensnared in the legal machinery of the Scottish witch trials. Her ordeal began on the 2nd of December, when she was brought before the lord commissioners to face allegations that had prompted a formal examination. During the proceedings, the court scrutinized the evidence brought against her, a process that typically involved rigorous questioning regarding her character, associations, and alleged involvement in maleficium or supernatural pacts.
Following this examination, the commissioners arrived at a conclusion that favored Janet. They determined that there was no credible presumption of guilt, concluding instead that the charges brought against her were malicious in origin. Consequently, the court recorded a verdict of "Not Proven" on the 2nd of December, followed by her official release on the 3rd of December. Through this outcome, Janet avoided the dire consequences often associated with such accusations during the period, being formally cleared of the suspicions that had brought her before the court.