sheriffs principal) (Scottish Gaelic: àrd-siorram) is a judge in charge of a sheriffdom with judicial, quasi-judicial, and administrative responsibilities.
Sheriffs principal were originally appointed by the monarch of Scotland, and evolved into a heritable jurisdiction before appointment was again vested in the Crown and the monarch of the United Kingdom following the passage of the Heritable Jurisdictions (Scotland) Act 1746.
Outside their judicial office, each sheriff principal holds several other offices ex officio, including Commissioner of Northern Lighthouses and General Commissioner of Income Tax, with each sheriff principal having a ceremonial role in their respective sheriffdom that means they outrank all but members of the royal family and the Lord Lieutenant.
mandated that sheriffs principal (along with bailies and stewards) should "hold all their three head courts by themselves in proper person, unless they have a just and lawful excuse".
[4] However, in the 16th century it appears that sheriffs-depute held office entirely at the will of the sheriffs principal, and undertook the vast majority of judicial work.
[5] In the 17th century, under the reign of Charles II, the number of heritable sheriffs principal increased in recognition of his restoration to the throne.
Over the years there was a gradual amalgamation of sheriffdoms, with a consequential diminution in the number of sheriffs principal.
[12]: 7 A sheriff principal might serve as member of the Scottish Civil Justice Council, the Advisory Council on Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officers, the Criminal Justice Forum, the Security Service Tribunal, the Intelligence Services Tribunal, and various other bodies.