Lord President of the Court of Session Facts for Kids

"Lord President of the Court of Session" redirects here. For the Lord Justice General of Ireland, see Lords Justices of Ireland.

Quick facts for kids Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General of Scotland

Incumbent Lord Carloway since 18 December 2015
Style	The Right Honourable
Appointer	Monarch on the advice of the First Minister
Term length	Life tenure with compulsory retirement at 75
Inaugural holder	Alexander Mylne, Abbot of Cambuskenneth
Formation	1532
Deputy	Lord Justice Clerk
Salary	£222,862 (Salary Group 1.1)
Website	Roles and Jurisdiction \| Judicial Office for Scotland

The Lord President of the Court of Session and Lord Justice General is the most important judge in Scotland. This person is the leader of all judges in Scotland, known as the judiciary. They also lead the College of Justice, the Court of Session, and the High Court of Justiciary.

The Lord President is also called the Lord Justice General of Scotland. This is because the two jobs were combined in 1836. The Lord President has power over almost all courts in Scotland. The only exceptions are the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Court of the Lord Lyon.

Currently, the Lord President is Lord Carloway. He started this job on December 18, 2015. Lord Carloway announced in June 2024 that he will retire in early 2025. This important role comes with a salary of around £222,862 per year.

What the Lord President Does
People Who Have Held the Office
See also

What the Lord President Does

Leading the Scottish Courts

The Lord President of the Court of Session is the top judge in Scotland. They are the head of the entire Scottish court system. This means they oversee how justice is carried out in Scotland.

The Lord President has power over most courts set up under Scots law. This includes all courts except the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom and the Court of the Lord Lyon. The Scottish Land Court, which used to be separate, is now also under their authority.

A law from 2008, called the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) Act, clearly states:

The Lord President is the Head of the Scottish Judiciary.

The Lord President gets help from the Judicial Office for Scotland. This office was created in 2010 to support the Lord President. They also lead the board of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service. The Judicial Council for Scotland also gives advice to the Lord President and other judges.

Working in the Inner House

The Lord President leads the 1st Division of the Inner House of the Court of Session. The Inner House is like an appeals court. It reviews decisions made by other courts, such as the Outer House and the Sheriff Appeal Court. It also hears appeals on legal questions from other specialized courts.

Taking the Official Oath

In Scotland, important officials take an Official Oath. This oath is taken in front of the Lord President of the Court of Session. It is a promise to be loyal and do their duty.

The Role of Lord Justice General

The Lord President also holds the title of Lord Justice General of Scotland. This means they are the head of the High Court of Justiciary. These two roles were combined in 1836. The job of Lord Justice General comes from very old legal roles called "justiciars." These roles existed in Scotland as far back as the 1100s.

People Who Have Held the Office

The Lord President of the Court of Session is a very old and important position. Here are some of the people who have held this role over the centuries:

	From	Until	Notes
Alexander Mylne, Abbot of Cambuskenneth	1532	1543	He was also an Abbot (a leader in a monastery).
Robert Reid, Bishop of Orkney	1543	1558	He was also a Bishop (a senior church leader).
Henry Sinclair, Bishop of Ross	1558	1565	He was also a Bishop.
John Sinclair, Bishop of Brechin	1565	1566	He was a Lord of Session before becoming Lord President.
The Lord Provand	1566	1567
The Lord Pittendreich	1567	1593	He was a Lord of Session before this role.
The Lord Fyvie	1593	1604	He held many important roles, including Lord Chancellor of Scotland.
The 1st Lord Balmerino	1605	1609	He was also Secretary of State.
The Lord Fentonbarns	1609	1616
The 1st Earl of Melrose	1616	1625	He was also Lord Advocate (Scotland's chief legal officer).
Sir James Skene of Curriehill	1626	1633	He was a Lord Clerk Register (in charge of public records).
The Lord Newabbey	1633	1646
Sir John Gilmour of Craigmillar	1661	1671
The 1st Viscount Stair	1671	1681
The 1st Earl of Aberdeen	1681	1682	He later became Lord Chancellor of Scotland.
Sir David Falconer of Newton	1682	1685
Sir George Lockhart of Carnwath	1685	31 March 1689
The 1st Viscount Stair	28 October 1689	25 November 1695	He held the role for a second time.
The Lord North Berwick	17 March 1698	20 June 1737	He was Lord President for a very long time.
The Lord Culloden	20 June 1737	4 June 1748	He was also a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Arniston, the Elder	4 June 1748	26 August 1753	He was a Solicitor General for Scotland and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Craigie	22 January 1754	10 March 1760	He was also a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Arniston, the Younger	30 April 1760	13 December 1787	Son of the earlier Lord Arniston, he also served as Lord Advocate.
The Lord Glenlee	22 December 1787	27 September 1789	He was a MP and Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Succoth	26 October 1789	31 August 1808	He was also a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Avontoun	31 August 1808	20 May 1811	He was a Solicitor General for Scotland.
The Lord Granton	10 October 1811	20 July 1841	He was a MP and Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Boyle	7 October 1841	5 May 1852	He was a MP and Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Colonsay	14 May 1852	25 February 1867	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Glencorse	25 February 1867	20 August 1891	He was a MP and Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Robertson	21 September 1891	21 November 1899	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
The 1st Baron Kinross	21 November 1899	22 January 1905	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
1st Baron Dunedin	4 February 1905	14 October 1913	He was a MP and Secretary of State for Scotland.
The 1st Baron Strathclyde	14 October 1913	1 April 1920	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Clyde	1 April 1920	1 April 1935	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Normand	1 April 1935	6 January 1947	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Lord Cooper	6 January 1947	23 December 1954	He was a MP and Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Clyde	23 December 1954	25 April 1972	He was a MP and Lord Advocate.
The Baron Emslie	25 April 1972	27 September 1989
The Baron Hope of Craighead	27 September 1989	1 October 1996	He later became a very senior judge in the UK Supreme Court.
The Baron Rodger of Earlsferry	1 October 1996	13 November 2002	He was also Lord Advocate and a judge in the UK Supreme Court.
The Baron Cullen of Whitekirk	13 November 2002	2 December 2005	He was also Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Hamilton	2 December 2005	8 June 2012
The Lord Gill	8 June 2012	31 May 2015	He was also Lord Justice Clerk.
The Lord Carloway	18 December 2015	present (early 2025)	He was also Lord Justice Clerk before becoming Lord President.

Lord President of the Court of Session facts for kids

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