A Sheriff Principal, 411A, is a senior judge.
[Later]. Thought I'd check with the great Google. A Sheriff Principal, within his sheriffdom, ranks immediately after (a) the Royal Family, (b) the Lord High Commisioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when the Assembly is in session, and (c) the Lord Lieutenant of the County. Within his jurisdiction he ranks ahead, for example, of the Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. He is not exactly something out of the Dukes of Hazzard.
By way of comparison, and depending on how we count it, you and I, 411A, come in the 98th (or so) rank as "gentlemen", unless you fancy being an "esquire", which shoots you up a notch.
Last edited by Davaar; 29th Sep 2002 at 20:40.