In the spring of 1699, the community of Pennretersane in Renfrew was disrupted by the denunciations of a young girl named Margaret Laird, who claimed to be tormented by local witches while in the grip of recurring fits. Among those named by Laird during these episodes was Jannet Laing, a 50-year-old married woman whose husband was noted in the records as an "elder," likely signifying his status as a namesake to a son rather than a position within the Kirk. Between April 19 and 21, 1699, the legal proceedings against Jannet began in Paisley, where witnesses provided testimony centered on their observations of Laird’s frantic denunciations and the unsettling circumstances surrounding her perceived afflictions.
The legal journey for Jannet was protracted and characterized by administrative uncertainty. Although a trial was initially scheduled to take place in Glasgow on May 19, 1699, there is no evidence that these proceedings occurred as planned. The case eventually moved to the High Court in Edinburgh, where the formal dittay—the document outlining the charges against her—was examined alongside the earlier witness statements. Following these delays, the legal process concluded on March 12, 1700, when the diet was deserted, and Jannet was officially released, effectively ending her entanglement with the judicial system.