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Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary
Incumbent Pam McFarlane since August 2020
Member of	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
Appointer	Lord President of the Court of Session
Formation	1532; 493 years ago (1532)
Deputy	Deputy Principal Clerk of Session Deputy Principal Clerk of Justiciary
Website	Director and Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary

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Scots law
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Civil courts Court of Session Lord President Lord Justice Clerk Lord of Session Office of the Accountant of Court Acts of Sederunt Sheriff Court Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Principal Sheriff Personal Injury Court Sheriff
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The Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary is the clerk of court responsible for the administration of the Supreme Courts of Scotland and their associated staff. The Keeper of the Signet 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 as of February 2024 is Yvonne Taylor.

The modern office unites the originally separate offices of Principal Clerk of Session (of the Court of Session) and Principal Clerk of Justiciary (of the High Court of Justiciary).

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

List of office holders

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (May 2012)

• Sir James Dalrymple, son of the eminent legal scholar and statesman Lord Stair
• Sir John Dalrymple of Kelloch
• Sir Walter Scott, novelist (appointed 1806)
• David Hume, advocate and legal scholar (appointed 1811)
• James Fergusson, judge and legal scholar (appointed 1826)
• Thomas Thomson, advocate (1826–1852)
• Cosmo Innes (appointed 1852)

References

1. "Scottish Court Service An Introduction" (PDF). Scottish Court Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012. The Supreme Courts are made up of: the Court of Session, the High Court of Justiciary and the Accountant of Court's Office. The Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary is responsible for the administration of these areas
2. "Director and Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary". www.scotcourts.gov.uk. Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
3. "Timeline". The Scott Monument. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Museums & Galleries. Retrieved 27 May 2012.

v t e Court of Session
Head of the judiciary	Lord President of the Court of Session
Other judges	Lord Justice Clerk Senators of the College of Justice (Women • Historic) Lord Ordinary
Divisions	Inner House Outer House
Administration	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Office of the Accountant of Court Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary Faculty of Advocates
Officers of Court	Advocates Solicitor-advocates Writers to the Signet Messengers-at-Arms
Officers of Court	Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland Society of Writers to His Majesty's Signet
Buildings	Parliament House, Edinburgh

v t e High Court of Justiciary
Chief justice	Lord Justice General
Other judges	Lord Justice Clerk Lords Commissioners of Justiciary
Administration	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary
Other Officers	Advocates Solicitor-advocates Writers to the Signet Society of Solicitors in the Supreme Courts of Scotland
Buildings	Justiciary Building, Edinburgh Justiciary Buildings, Glasgow

v t e Courts of Scotland
Administration (Executive)	Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Justice Judicial Appointments Board Scottish Children's Reporter Administration Crown Office Lord Advocate Solicitor General for Scotland Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission
Administration (Judicial)	Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Judicial Office for Scotland College of Justice Act of Sederunt Scottish Civil Justice Council Act of Adjournal Criminal Courts Rules Council Office of the Public Guardian Scottish Sentencing Council
Judiciary	Lord President Lord Justice Clerk Senator of the College of Justice Lord Lyon King of Arms Sheriff principal Appeal Sheriff Sheriff Justice of the peace
Civil courts	Supreme Court Court of Session Office of the Accountant of Court Auditor of the Court of Session Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff Personal Injury Court Sheriff court
Criminal courts	High Court of Justiciary Sheriff Appeal Court Sheriff court Justice of the peace court
Specialist courts	Court of the Lord Lyon Scottish Land Court Lands Tribunal for Scotland Children's hearing
Legal profession	Faculty of Advocates Advocate Law Society of Scotland Solicitor Solicitor advocate Scottish Solicitors' Discipline Tribunal
Historical courts	Admiralty Court District courts Court of Exchequer High Court of Constabulary

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