Procurators Fiscal records and Fatal Accident Inquiries

Sudden deaths in Scotland are investigated by procurators fiscal (local state-funded prosecutors). Procurators fiscal may then petition the sheriff for a Fatal Accident Inquiry, where a public inquiry is considered appropriate.

The findings of investigations into sudden deaths by the local procurator fiscal are recorded in the Register of Corrected Entries maintained by the National Records of Scotland. Some other records survive in Orkney Archives, Shetland Archives and a few other local authority archives services.  These consist mainly of police reports to the procurator fiscal on sudden deaths, fires, and a wide range of offences.  Some of these police reports are annotated to indicate the fiscal’s decision on whether to prosecute or not, and sometimes the reason is also given.

The National Records of Scotland hold records of Fatal Accident Inquiries held by sheriff courts (since 1895). There are fewer sources for fatal accidents before 1895. For more information about these, and for further details about Fatal Accident Inquiries, sheriff court records and the records of procurators fiscal go to the National Records of Scotland website <https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/fatal-accident-inquiry-records> [accessed 26 April 2024].