The Sheriff Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands is the head of the judicial system of the sheriffdom of Grampian, Highland and Islands, one of the six

sheriffdoms A sheriffdom is a judicial district in Scotland, led by a sheriff principal. Since 1 January 1975, there have been six sheriffdoms. Each sheriffdom is divided into a series of sheriff court districts, and each sheriff court is presided over by a r ...

covering the whole of Scotland. The sheriffdom employs a number of legally qualified sheriffs who are responsible for the hearing of cases in thirteen Sheriffs Courts based in

Aberdeen Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...

, Banff, Elgin, Fort William,

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, Kirkwall,

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, Lochmaddy, Peterhead,

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and Wick. The current Scottish sheriffdoms were created in 1975 when the previous arrangement of 12 sheriffdoms was discontinued. The

Sheriff Principal In Scotland a sheriff principal (''pl''. sheriffs principal) is a judge in charge of a sheriffdom with judicial, quasi-judicial, and administrative responsibilities. Sheriffs principal have been part of the judiciary of Scotland since the 11th ce ...

, usually a

King's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or ...

(KC), is appointed by the King on the recommendation of the

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, who receives recommendations from the

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. The sheriff must have been qualified as an advocate or solicitor for at least ten years and is responsible for the administrative oversight of the judicial system within the sheriffdom. The Sheriff Principal will also hear appeals against the judgement of his sheriffs, hear certain cases himself and occasionally conduct major fatal accident inquiries.

Sheriffs Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands

*1975–1982: George Stanley Gimson *1983–1988: Stewart E. Bell, QC *1988–1993: Ronald Ireland QC *1993–2001: Douglas James Risk *2001–2012: Sir Stephen Young, Bt QC *2013–present : Derek C.W. Pyle

References

{{Scottish Sheriffs * 1975 establishments in Scotland

Sheriffs Principal of Grampian, Highland and Islands

See also

References