The Lord President

 

 

The Lord President, is the head of the Scottish judiciary.


The Lord President  is responsible for:

  • the appointment, recruitment or approval of certain judicial roles
  • representing the views of the Scottish judiciary to the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Ministers
  • making and maintaining appropriate arrangements for the welfare, training and guidance of judicial office holders
  • the investigation and determination of conduct complaints relating to judicial office holders
  • the regulation of the legal profession in Scotland
  • executing Acts of Sederunt (legislation regulating court proceedings) and Adjournal
  • regulating practice in the Court of Session by Practice Direction


In criminal proceedings, the Lord President is known as the Lord Justice General.


In this role, the Lord Justice General is:

  • Chair of the High Court of Justiciary Appeal Court in a number of significant criminal appeals
  • Responsible for the general supervision of all business in the High Court
  • Chair of the Criminal Courts Rules Councils (although the practice has been that the Lord Justice General nominates the Lord Justice Clerk to perform that role)

 

The Lord President also holds the roles of Head of the Scottish Tribunals, Chair of the First Division of the Inner House, Chair of the SCTS Board, and Chair of the Scottish Civil Justice Council.

The Lord President  is a Privy Counsellor (advisor to the His Majesty The King) and attends the Accession Council, Coronation and the presentation of the Honours of Scotland.

The Lord President oversees the business of the Court of Session and High Court of Justiciary at weekly meetings with the Keeper of the Rolls (LINK?), which review the allocation of judges to the courts, and monthly Programming Board meetings.