LORD

See also:

• JUSTICE (Lat. justitia)

JUSTICE CLERK  , in Scotland, a judge next in rank to the lord justice-general . He presides in the second division of the court of session, and in the absence of the lord justice-general, presides in the court of justiciary . The justice clerk was originally not a judge at all, but simply clerk and legal assessor of the justice court . In course of time he was raised from the clerk's table to the bench, and by custom presided over the court in the absence of the justice-general . Up to 1672 his position was somewhat anomalous, as it was doubtful whether he was a clerk or a judge, but an act of that year, which suppressed the office of justice-depute, confirmed his position as a judge, forming him, with the justice-general and five of the lords of session into the court of justiciary . The lord justice clerk is also one of the officers of state for Scotland, and one of the commissioners for keeping the Scottish Regalia . His salary is £4800 a year .