In 1644, the legal machinery of the Scottish witch trials turned its attention toward Queensferry, Linlithgow, where Margaret Dauling was formally processed under the case designation C/EGD/2344. As a resident of this coastal burgh, Margaret found herself embroiled in the judicial scrutiny that characterized the mid-seventeenth century, a period when the prosecution of witchcraft was frequently intertwined with localized social anxieties and religious fervor. The records provide limited detail regarding the specific nature of the allegations brought against her, reflecting the bureaucratic formality common to the regional records of the time.
Following the initial proceedings, the legal process moved toward a formal determination of her culpability. According to the trial notes documented in T/JO/522, the case against Margaret concluded with a judgment of acquittal. This outcome distinguishes her experience from the many contemporary trials that resulted in conviction, marking the end of her involvement in the judicial proceedings and allowing for her release from the charges brought before the court.