Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde
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The Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde is the head of the judicial system of the sheriffdom of North Strathclyde, one of the six sheriffdoms covering Scotland. The sheriffdom employs a number of legally-qualified sheriffs who are responsible for the hearing of cases in seven Sheriff Courts based in Campbeltown, Dumbarton, Dunoon, Greenock, Kilmarnock, Oban and Paisley. The current Scottish sheriffdoms were created in 1975 when the previous arrangement of 12 sheriffdoms was discontinued.
The Sheriff Principal is appointed by the King on the recommendation of the First Minister of Scotland,{{Cite web |title=Judicial Appointments - Sheriff Principal |url=https://judiciary.scot/home/judiciary/judicial-office-holders/sheriffs/sheriffs-principal/judicial-appointments---sheriffs-principal |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=Judiciary of Scotland}} who receives recommendations from the Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland. He or she must have been qualified as an advocate or solicitor for at least ten years and is responsible for the administrative oversight of the judicial system within the sheriffdom. The Sheriff Principal will also hear appeals against the judgement of his sheriffs, hear certain cases himself and occasionally conduct major fatal accident inquiries.{{Cite web |title=Glossary {{!}} Practical Law |url=https://content.next.westlaw.com/Glossary/PracticalLaw/Ib64f9a18b27411e79bef99c0ee06c731?transitionType=Default&contextData=%28sc.Default%29 |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=content.next.westlaw.com |language=en-US}}
Sheriffs Principal of North Strathclyde
- 1975–1978: Frederick William Fitzgerald O'Brien, QC {{London Gazette|issue=46443|page=13273|date=31 December 1974}} (Sheriff Principal of Lothian and Borders, 1978–1989)
- 1978–1980: John Alexander Dick, QC {{London Gazette|city=e|issue=20274|page=419|date=25 April 1978}} (Sheriff Principal of Glasgow and Strathkelvin, 1980–1986)
- 1980–1983: ?
- 1983–1989: Philip Isaac Caplan, QC{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12373143.Lord_Caplan/|title=Lord Caplan|date=21 November 2008 |publisher= Sunday Herald|accessdate= 21 October 2017}}
- 1989–1998: Robert Colquhoun Hay {{cite book|url=http://oxfordindex.oup.com/view/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U19560|title=HAY, Robert Colquhoun (born 1933), Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde, 1989–98|chapter=Hay, Robert Colquhoun, (Born 1933), Sheriff Principal of North Strathclyde, 1989–98 |date=2007 |publisher= Oxford Index|doi=10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U19560 |accessdate= 26 October 2017}}
- 1999–2014: Bruce A. Kerr, QC{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmlcd/902/902.pdf|title=Judicial Appointments: lessons from the Scottish experience |publisher= House of Commons|accessdate= 21 October 2017}}
- 2014–June 2023 Duncan Law Murray{{cite web|url=http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/35/561/Sheriff-Principal-Duncan-L-Murray|title=Sheriff Principal Duncan L. Murray|publisher=Judiciary of Scotland|accessdate= 21 October 2017}}
- June 2023 – present Sean Murphy{{cite web|url= https://www.lawscot.org.uk/news-and-events/legal-news/three-new-sheriffs-principal-appointed/ |title= Three new sheriffs principal appointed|date=19 January 2023|publisher=Law Society of Scotland| access-date=28 September 2024}}