Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS)

COPFS is Scotland's independent public prosecution service, responsible for prosecuting crime and investigating sudden or suspicious deaths.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) is Scotland's prosecution service. It is headed by the Lord Advocate, who is supported by the Solicitor General for Scotland, and its prosecutors are called procurators fiscal. In High Court cases, prosecutors known as advocates depute act on the Lord Advocate's behalf, which is why serious cases are called HM Advocate against the accused. COPFS receives reports from the police and other agencies, decides whether to prosecute and presents cases in court. It also investigates sudden, suspicious and unexplained deaths, and complaints of criminal conduct against the police. COPFS runs the Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service and the Victims' Right to Review scheme. The Lord Advocate issues guidelines to the police, for example on when officers can give a Recorded Police Warning.

Checked as at 25 September 2026. General information only, not legal advice.