Originally clericus justiciarie, the counterpart in the criminal courts of the Lord Clerk Register, the Lord Justice-Clerk became the effective head of the reformed High Court of Justiciary in 1672. The Lord Justice Clerk is now the second most senior Judge in Scotland, behind the Lord Justice General.

The holder has the title in both the Court of Session and the High Court of Justiciary and is in charge of the Second Division of Judges in the Supreme Courts of Scotland. The office is one of the Great Offices of State in Scotland.