In March 1605 he was made Lord President of the Court of Session, and while holding that office successfully opposed George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar.
In September 1605 King James wrote to him to appoint a new gardener for the south yard of Holyrood Palace, especially as he planned to visit Scotland in 1606.
[4] On 15 June 1608 Anne of Denmark wrote to him from Greenwich Palace to express her disappointment on the acquittal of Margaret Hartsyde, a servant who had stolen her jewels.
[7] It was believed that James intended to appoint Balmerino secretary of state in England, but an end was put to his further promotion by his disgrace.
The king confirmed the verdict of guilty which the jury found, and Balmerino was in March 1609 sentenced to be beheaded, quartered, and demeaned as a traitor.
The sentence, however, was not carried out, due to the intercession of Anne of Denmark at the instance of Jean Drummond, her lady in waiting and Balmerino's relative.
When the matter was brought up again in 1606, severe pressure was put by Dunbar and Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury on Balmerino to induce him to take the whole blame on himself, and on the promise that his life and estates should be secured to him he consented to exculpate the king.