The Sheriff of Dumbarton was historically the royal official responsible for enforcing law and order in Dumbarton, Scotland and bringing criminals to justice. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, the hereditary sheriffs were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputes, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.
Following a merger the post was retitled the Sheriff of Dumbarton and Bute in 1854. Following further reorganisations the post became the Sheriff of Stirling and Dumbarton in 1871[1] and the Sheriff of Stirling, Dumbarton and Clackmannan in 1881.