Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service

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