It is headed by the Right Honourable 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.

[3] The warrant will then authorise the Lyon Clerk and Keeper of the Records to prepare Letters Patent of the particular coat of arms or genealogy to be recorded in the: Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland or in the Public Register of All Genealogies and Birthbrieves in Scotland.

[3] This is in contrast to the College of Arms in London, which, being an independent corporate body rather than a government department, reinvests all fees into itself.

According to the court's official publication on its website, "the governing factor in the case of an original Grant of Arms is the domicile of the petitioner or the ownership of property in Scotland."

"Commonwealth citizens, in particular those of Scottish descent – save for Canada and South Africa which have their own heraldic authorities – can apply to the Lord Lyon King of Arms.

[2] The Lord Lyon also has control over messengers-at-arms, judicial officers responsible for serving documents and enforcing legal orders throughout Scotland.

[2] Furthermore, a misappropriation or unauthorised use (displaying or usurping) of a man's coat of arms is still considered a 'real injury' under Scottish common law.

The court has the power to fine and to ensure items bearing the offending Arms are removed, destroyed or forfeited.

In lieu of the financial interests of the Treasury, the High Court of Justiciary will therefore sometimes regard cases brought by the Procurator Fiscal similarly to those of the Inland Revenue.

Where the cases involve forfeiture, the Court could grant a warrant for the seizure of movable goods and gear where unwarranted arms are found.

[14] As Keeper of the Records, the Lyon Clerk is responsible for the maintenance of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland.

The Lyon Clerk must ensure that members of the public have access to the register by facilitating searches and studies of the records.

The Procurator Fiscal can either issue a letter or warning, and where needed initiate a prosecution before the Lyon Court.

Until 2001 the Procurator Fiscal was appointed by the Lord Lyon, but in order to ensure compliance with Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights, the power to appoint the Procurator Fiscal was transferred to the Scottish Ministers by the Convention Rights (Compliance) Scotland Act 2001.

They carry out many ceremonial duties in Scotland, such as on state and royal occasions and those in connection with Scottish public life.

Other ceremonies in which the HM Officers of Arms take part include; the announcement of the dissolution of Parliament from the Mercat Cross on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, the inauguration of the governors of Edinburgh Castle, and the ceremonial opening of the annual meeting of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

These officers are employed by Scottish nobles and chiefs and perform duties relating to genealogical, heraldic, and ceremonial matters of clan members.