Court of the Lord Lyon

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Scots law

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This article is part of the series:
Courts of Scotland

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Scottish Government
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Special courts

Court of the Lord Lyon
Lord Lyon King of Arms
Scottish Children's Reporter Administration
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Scottish Land Court
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New Register House in Edinburgh, home of the Lyon Court

The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of genealogies.

The Lyon Court is a public body, and the fees for grants of arms are paid to the Treasury. It is headed by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who must be legally qualified, as he has criminal jurisdiction in heraldic matters, and the court is fully integrated into the Scottish legal system, including having a dedicated prosecutor, known in Scotland as a Procurator Fiscal. This contrasts with England, where the College of Arms is a private body, and the Court of Chivalry, which is a civil court, has met only once in 230 years, in 1954 .

Contents

Leadership and administration

The head of the Lyon Court is Lord Lyon King of Arms. Only two of the heralds work full time, the Lord Lyon King of Arms and the Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records, a post currently held by Elizabeth Roads, Carrick Pursuivant. The holders of these two positions are paid a salary as public officials. Up to six officers of arms in ordinary, heralds and pursuivants, assist these two officers, mostly in matters of state ceremonial.

As of November 2008 Officers of Arms in Scotland are:1

Position Name
Lord Lyon King of Arms David Sellar
Albany Herald of Arms in Ordinary John Alexander Spens
Ross Herald of Arms in Ordinary Charles John Burnett
Rothesay Herald of Arms in Ordinary Sir Crispin Agnew of Lochnaw
Islay Herald of Arms in Ordinary Alastair Campbell of Airds
Marchmont Herald of Arms in Ordinary title not in use at present
Snowdoun Herald of Arms in Ordinary title not in use at present
Bute Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary title not in use at present
Carrick Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary Elizabeth Ann Roads
Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary Adam Bruce
Dingwall Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary title not in use at present
Kintyre Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary title not in use at present
Ormond Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary title not in use at present
Linlithgow Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary title not in use at present
Orkney Herald of Arms Extraordinary Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight
Falkland Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary title not in use at present
March Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary title not in use at present
Procurator Fiscal to Lyon court George Way of Plean
Herald Painter Yvonne Holton

From time to time, others can be appointed temporarily or as a recognition of their work. These are styled Herald or Pursuivant Extraordinary. In this way the previous Lord Lyon, Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight, serves as Orkney Herald Extraordinary. Administrative support to the Lyon Court is provided by the Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records. Prosecutions for violations of heraldry are carried out by a Procurator Fiscal attached to the Lyon Court.

In Scotland there are also four private pursuivants that are independent of Lyon Court. These officers are employed by Scottish nobles and chiefs and perform duties relating to genealogical, heraldic, and ceremonial matters of clan members. For more information see Private Officer of Arms.

References

  1. ^ "The Court of the Lord Lyon". The Court of the Lord Lyon (lyon-court.com). Retrieved on 22 November 2008.

See also

External links

Wikipedia content modification information:

  • This page was last modified on 22 November 2008, at 11:39.

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