View source for Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2017}}
{{redirect|Clerk of Session|another use|Session Clerk}}
{{Infobox official post
|post            = Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary
|member_of       = [[Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service]]
|insignia        = Royal_Coat_of_Arms_of_the_United_Kingdom_(Government_in_Scotland).svg
|insigniasize    = 110px
|insigniacaption =
|image           =
|incumbent       = Pam McFarlane
|incumbentsince  = August 2020
|appointer       = [[Lord President of the Court of Session]]
|formation       = {{Start date and age|1532}}
|deputy          = Deputy Principal Clerk of Session<br>Deputy Principal Clerk of Justiciary
|succession      =
|website         = [https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/supreme-courts/about-the-supreme-courts/director-and-principal-clerk-of-session-and-justiciary Director and Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary]
|salary          =
}}
{{CourtsScotland}}
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/you_and_us/recruitment/SCS%20An%20Introduction.pdf|title=Scottish Court Service An Introduction| quote=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|publisher=Scottish Court Service|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721231546/http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/docs/you_and_us/recruitment/SCS%20An%20Introduction.pdf| archive-date=21 July 2011| accessdate=26 May 2012}}</ref> 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.{{refneeded|date=April 2017}} The Principal Clerk {{as of|lc=y|2024|2}} is Yvonne Taylor.<ref name="currentclerk">{{cite web|title=Director and Principal Clerk of Session and Justiciary|url=https://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/the-courts/supreme-courts/about-the-supreme-courts/director-and-principal-clerk-of-session-and-justiciary|website=www.scotcourts.gov.uk|publisher=Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service|accessdate=4 April 2017}}</ref>
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_Office_and_Procurator_Fiscal_Service#Crown_Agent|Crown Agent]] takes directions from the Principal Clerk of Justiciary when arranging sittings of the High Court of Justiciary.{{refneeded|date=April 2017}}
==List of office holders==
{{incomplete list|date=May 2012}}
* Sir [[James Dalrymple, 1st Baronet|James Dalrymple]], son of the eminent legal scholar and statesman [[James Dalrymple, 1st Viscount of Stair|Lord Stair]]
* Sir [[Sir John Dalrymple, 2nd Baronet|John Dalrymple of Kelloch]]
* Sir [[Walter Scott]], novelist (appointed 1806)<ref name="Edinburgh Museums">{{cite web|url=http://www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk/CMSTemplates/ScottMonumentVirtualTour/pages/timeline.htm|title=Timeline|work=The Scott Monument|publisher=Edinburgh Museums & Galleries|accessdate=27 May 2012|location=Edinburgh}}</ref>
* [[David Hume (advocate)|David Hume]], advocate and legal scholar (appointed 1811)
* [[James Fergusson (judge and legal writer)|James Fergusson]], judge and legal scholar (appointed 1826)
* [[Thomas Thomson (advocate)|Thomas Thomson]], advocate (1826–1852)
* [[Cosmo Innes]] (appointed 1852)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Court of Session}}
{{High Court of Justiciary}}
{{CourtsScotland2}}
[[Category:Principal Clerks of Session and Justiciary| ]]
{{Scotland-law-stub}}