The Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary is the

clerk of court A court clerk (British English: clerk to the court or clerk of the court ; American English: clerk of the court or clerk of court ) is an officer of the court whose responsibilities include maintaining records of a court and administering oaths ...

responsible for the administration of the Supreme Courts of Scotland and their associated staff. The

Keeper of the Signet The office of Lord Clerk Register (Scottish Gaelic: ''Clàr Morair Clèireach'') is the oldest remaining Great Officer of State in Scotland, with origins in the 13th century. It historically had important functions in relation to the maintenanc ...

grants a commission to the Principal Clerk of Session to allow His Majesty's Signet to be used. Gillian Prentice was the first woman to hold the post. The Principal Clerk is Yvonne Taylor. The modern office unites the originally separate offices of Principal Clerk of Session (of the

Court of Session The Court of Session is the highest national court of Scotland in relation to Civil law (common law), civil cases. The court was established in 1532 to take on the judicial functions of the royal council. Its jurisdiction overlapped with othe ...

) and Principal Clerk of Justiciary (of the

High Court of Justiciary The High Court of Justiciary () is the supreme criminal court in Scotland. The High Court is both a trial court and a court of appeal. As a trial court, the High Court sits on circuit at Parliament House or in the adjacent former Sheriff C ...

). The Crown Agent takes directions from the Principal Clerk of Justiciary when arranging sittings of the High Court of Justiciary.

List of office holders

* Sir James Dalrymple, son of the eminent legal scholar and statesman Lord Stair * Sir John Dalrymple of Kelloch * Sir

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

, novelist (appointed 1806) *

David Hume David Hume (; born David Home; – 25 August 1776) was a Scottish philosopher, historian, economist, and essayist who was best known for his highly influential system of empiricism, philosophical scepticism and metaphysical naturalism. Beg ...

, advocate and legal scholar (appointed 1811) * James Fergusson, judge and legal scholar (appointed 1826) * Thomas Thomson, advocate (1826–1852) * Cosmo Innes (appointed 1852)

References

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