Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

Crest of Scotland as used by law officers
Departmental logo
Crown Office, Chambers Street
Agency overview
Jurisdiction	Scotland
Headquarters	25 Chambers Street Edinburgh EH1 1LA[1]
Employees	1650
Annual budget	£120.7 million (2019-2020)
Minister responsible	Dorothy Bain KC, Lord Advocate
Agency executive	John Logue, Crown Agent
Parent agency	Scottish Government
Website	www.copfs.gov.uk
Map
Scotland in the UK and Europe
Listed Building – Category B
Official name	25 Chambers Street, Crown Office (Former Heriot Watt University)[2]
Designated	29 April 1977; 47 years ago (1977-04-29)[2]
Reference no.	LB27981[2]

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The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (Scottish Gaelic: Oifis a' Chrùin agus Seirbheis Neach-casaid a' Chrùin) is the independent public prosecution service for Scotland, and is a Ministerial Department of the Scottish Government. The department is headed by His Majesty's Lord Advocate, who under the Scottish legal system is responsible for prosecution, along with the sheriffdom procurators fiscal. In Scotland, virtually all prosecution of criminal offences is undertaken by the Crown. Private prosecutions are extremely rare.

The Service's jurisdiction covers all of Scotland, and includes investigation and prosecution of criminal offences, sudden or suspicious deaths, and criminal conduct by the police. It also includes assessment and possession of bona vacantia and treasure trove. The Lord Advocate is assisted by the Solicitor General for Scotland, both of whom are Law Officers. The day-to-day running of the Service is carried out by the Crown Agent & Chief Executive and an executive board who are based in the service headquarters at Crown Office in Chambers Street, Edinburgh. The Service employs both civil servants who carry out administrative and other duties and solicitors and advocates who represent the Crown in Court.