Court of the Lord Lyon
The Court of the Lord Lyon (the Lyon Court) is a standing court of law, based in New Register House in Edinburgh, which regulates heraldry in Scotland. The Lyon Court maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of genealogies.
| Court of the Lord Lyon | |
|---|---|
 The arms of office of the Lord Lyon King of Arms | |
| Established | 1532 |
| Jurisdiction | Scotland |
| Location | New Register House 3 West Register Street Edinburgh EH1 3YT[1] |
| Coordinates | 55.954°N 3.190°W |
| Composition method | Appointed by Monarch of the United Kingdom |
| Authorized by | Lyon King of Arms Act 1592 and subsequent statutes |
| Appeals to | Civil: Inner House of the Court of Session Criminal: High Court of Justiciary |
| Website | www |
| Lord Lyon King of Arms | |
| Currently | Dr Joseph Morrow CBE KStJ KC |
| Since | 17 January 2014 |
The Lyon Court is a public body, and the fees for grants of arms are paid to HM Treasury. It is headed by 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.
Its equivalent in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, in terms of awarding arms, is the College of Arms, which is a royal corporation and not a court of law. The High Court of Chivalry is a civil court in England and Wales with jurisdiction over cases dealing with heraldry.