Lord Lyon King of Arms meaning

In Scottish legal practice, the Lord Lyon King of Arms is the state official and judge who regulates heraldry, deciding legal rights to coats of arms, flags and related insignia, and enforcing their lawful use. The office and the Court of the Lord Lyon are established and regulated by statute (including the Lyon King of Arms Acts and the 1672 Act creating the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland). Acting as the judge of the Lyon Court, the Lord Lyon grants and matriculates arms to individuals, companies and public bodies with a sufficient Scottish connection, recognises clan chiefs, supervises heralds and pursuivants, and maintains the Public Register. The Procurator Fiscal to the Lord Lyon prosecutes unlawful assumption or misuse of arms before the Court, and the Court’s decisions are subject to appeal or review in the Scottish civil courts. jurisdiction is Scottish. In England and Wales and Northern Ireland, comparable heraldic functions are exercised by the College of Arms; in Ireland, by the Chief Herald of Ireland. Organisations operating in Scotland should seek arms or confirm entitlement through the Lord Lyon, as using unauthorised arms in Scotland may lead to enforcement proceedings.