In February 1532 Ruthven, Lord Oliphant, and other barons in that district of Scotland were fined for not appearing to sit as jurymen at the trial of Lady Glamis at Forfar for poisoning her husband.
He was admitted an extraordinary lord of session on 27 November 1533; and on 8 August 1542 he was named a member of the privy council.
On 28 August 1536 the king confirmed to him and his heirs the lands of Glenshie in Strathearn, erected into a free forest.
At the parliament held at Edinburgh in March 1543, after the death of King James V, Ruthven spoke on behalf of the laity being granted liberty to read the Scriptures in the English tongue; and at the same parliament he was chosen one of the eight noblemen, two of whom were to have the charge of the young queen every three months.
On 13 September he obtained an heritable grant of the king's house of Perth, of which he was keeper.