The Sheriff Principal of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway is the head of the judicial system of the sheriffdom of South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, 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 five Sheriffs Court based in Airdrie, Ayr, Dumfries, Hamilton, Lanark and Stranraer. The current 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 monarch on the recommendation of the First Minister, who receives recommendations from the
Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland
The Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland is an advisory non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government responsible for making recommendations on appointments to certain offices of the judiciary of Scotland. It was established in J ...
. He or she 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 South Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway
*1975–: Robert Reid, QC, 1975–
*1977–:
Charles Hampton Johnston
Charles Hampton Johnston QC, MA, LLB (10 April 1919 – 19 January 1981), was a Scottish Sheriff and a Liberal Party politician.
Background
Johnston was the son of John Johnston and Johanna Hampton of Edinburgh. He was educated at Royal High Scho ...
, QC
*1988–1993:
John Stuart Mowat
John Stuart Mowat (30 January 1923 – 31 October 2001), was a Scottish Sheriff and Liberal Party politician.
Background
He was the son of George Mowat and Annie Barlow. He was educated at Glasgow High School, Belmont House School, Merchiston Ca ...
*1993–2000:
Graham Cox, QC
*2000–2005: John Colin McInnes, QC
*2005–2015: Brian A. Lockhart
*2015– April 2020: Ian R. Abercrombie, QC
[ ]
*April 2020 - present: Aisha Y. Anwar
See also
*
Historical development of Scottish sheriffdoms
A sheriffdom is a judicial district of Scotland. Originally identical to the Shires of Scotland, from the eighteenth century many counties were grouped to form "sheriffdoms".
By 1975 there were 12 sheriffdoms, with only Lanarkshire not groupe ...
References
{{Scottish Sheriffs
*
sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
Dumfries and Galloway
1975 establishments in Scotland