Advocate Lord

Advocate, Lord, the name given to the principal Public Prosecutor in Scotland. He is assisted by a Solicitor-General and some junior counsel as subordinate assistants. The office was established in the early part of the 16th century. Formerly he had no authority for the prosecution of criminals without the concurrence of some private person, but in the year 1597 the power without any such concurrence was conferred upon him. He has the privilege of pleading in Court with his hat on. If the Lord Advocate decline to prosecute, a private party may do so, but the concurrence or "concourse" of the Lord Advocate must be obtained. This very rarely occurs.