- Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
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For the similar judicial appointment in Ireland, see Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas.
John Coleridge, the last Chief Justice of the Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas, also known as the Common Bench or Common Place, was the second highest common law court in the English legal system until 1880, when it was dissolved. As such, the Chief Justice of the Common Pleas was one of the highest judicial officials in England, behind only the Lord High Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice of the King's (or Queen's) Bench. Initially the position of Chief Justice was not an appointment; of the justices serving in the court, one would become more respected than his peers, and was therefore considered the "chief" justice. The position was formalised in 1272 with the raising of Sir Gilbert of Preston to Chief Justice, and from then on it was considered a formally appointed role similar to the positions of Chief Justice of the King's Bench and Chief Baron of the Exchequer.[1] In 1875 the court was reduced to a division of the High Court of Justice; Alexander Cockburn served as the first Chief Justice of England. The court was dissolved as a body in 1880, when the functions and officials were made part of the Queen's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice. John Coleridge, previously Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, served as the first Chief Justice of the fully unified High Court.[2]
Chief Justices of the Common Pleas
Sir Edward Coke, a famed jurist whose judgements included seminal cases in corporate and competition law and the creation of judicial review
Sir Alexander Cockburn, who was repeatedly refused a peerage on the grounds of "notoriously bad moral character"Name Born/Died Term as Chief Justice Reason for termination[3] Simon of Pattishall d. 1217 1190–1214 Died Martin of Pattishall d. 1229 1217–1229 Retired Sir Thomas of Moulton d. 1240 1229–1233 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit William de Raley d. 1250 1233–1234 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Thomas of Moulton d. 1240 1234–1236 Retired Robert of Lexinton d. 29 May 1250 1236–1244 Retired Henry of Bath d. November 1260 1245–1249 Stripped of his position after accusations of perverting the course of justice Roger of Thirkleby d. 1260 1249–1256 Replaced Henry of Bath d. November 1260 1256–1258 Retired Roger of Thirkleby d. 1260 1258–1260 Died Sir Gilbert of Preston 1209 – 1274 1260–1267 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit Martin of Littlebury d. 1274 1267–1272 Replaced Sir Gilbert of Preston 1209–1274 1272–1274 Died Roger of Seaton 1230–1280 1274–1278 Retired Sir Thomas Weyland 1230 – January 1298 1278–1289 Removed from his position and exiled Sir Ralph Sandwich 1235–1308 1289–1290 Resigned John of Mettingham d. 1301 1290–1301 Died Ralph de Hengham 1235 – 18 May 1311 1301–1309 Retired Sir William Bereford d. 1326 1309–1326 Death Hervey de Stanton 1260 – November 1327 1326 Failed to be reappointed by Edward III Sir William Herle 1270–1347 1327–1329 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit Sir John Stonor 1281–1354 1329–1331 Failed to be reappointed by Edward III Sir William Herle 1270–1347 1331–1333 Resigned to travel an Eyre circuit Sir Henry Scrope d. 7 September 1336 1333 Replaced Sir William Herle 1270–1347 1333–1335 Retired Sir John Stonor 1281–1354 1335–1341 Removed Sir Roger Hillary d. 1356 1341–1342 Replaced Sir John Stonor 1281–1354 1342–1354 Retired Sir Roger Hillary d. 1356 1354–1356 Died Sir Robert Thorpe d. 29 June 1372 1356–1371 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir William Fyncheden d. 1374 1371–1374 Died Sir Robert Bealknap d. 19 January 1401 1374–1388 Exiled Sir Robert Charleton d. 1395 1388–1395 Died William Thirning d. 1413 1396–1413 Died Richard Norton d. 1420 1413–1420 Died Sir William Babington d. 1454 1423–1436 Retired Sir John Juyn d. 24 March 1440 1436–1439 Died John Cottesmore d. 29 August 1439 1439 Died Sir Richard Newton d. 13 December 1448 1439–1448 Died Sir John Prysot d. 1461 1449–1461 Died Sir Robert Danby d. 1474 1461–1471 Not reappointed by Edward IV Sir Thomas Bryan d. 14 August 1500 1471–1500 Died Sir Thomas Wode d. 31 August 1502 1500–1502 Died Sir Thomas Frowyk 1460 – 7 October 1506 1502–1506 Died Sir Robert Rede d. 7 January 1519 1506–1519 Died Sir John Ernley 1464 – 22 April 1520 1519–1520 Died Sir Robert Brudenell 1461 – 30 January 1531 1520–1530 Retired Sir Robert Norwich d. April 1535 1530–1535 Died Sir John Baldwin d. 24 October 1545 1535–1545 Died Sir Edward Montagu c. 1485 – 10 February 1557 1545–1553 Retired Sir Richard Morgan d. May 1556 1553–1554 Removed after going insane Sir Robert Broke d. 5 September 1558 1554–1558 Died Anthony Browne 1509–1567 1558–1559 Appointed a justice of the Queen's Bench Sir James Dyer 1510–1582 1559–1582 Died Sir Edmund Anderson 1530 – 1 August 1605 2 May 1582 – 1 August 1605 Died Sir Francis Gawdy d. 15 December 1605 August 1605 – 15 December 1605 Died Sir Edward Coke 1 February 1552 – 3 September 1634 30 June 1606 – 25 October 1613 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Henry Hobart c. 1560 – 29 December 1625 26 November 1613 – 29 December 1625 Died Sir Thomas Richardson 3 July 1569 – 4 February 1635 22 November 1626 – October 1631 Appointed Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Robert Heath 1575–1649 October 1631 – 13 September 1634 Dismissed Sir John Finch 17 September 1584 – 27 November 1660 16 October 1634 – 1640 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir Edward Littleton 1589 – 27 August 1645 27 January 1640 – 18 January 1641 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir John Bankes 1589 – 28 December 1644 29 January 1641 – 28 December 1644 Died Oliver St John c. 1598 – 31 December 1673 1 October 1648 – 1660 Excluded from public office following the Restoration Sir Orlando Bridgeman 30 January 1606 – 25 June 1674 22 October 1660– May 1668 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir John Vaughan 14 September 1603 – 10 December 1674 23 May 1668 – 10 December 1674 Died Sir Francis North 1637–1685 23 January 1675 – 20 December 1682 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir Francis Pemberton 18 July 1624 – 10 June 1697 January 1683 – September 1683 Dismissed Sir Thomas Jones 13 October 1614 – 31 May 1692 29 September 1683 – 21 April 1686 Dismissed Sir Henry Bedingfield 9 December 1632 – 6 February 1687 21 April 1686 – 6 February 1687 Died Robert Wright 1634–1689 13 April 1687 – 18 April 1687 Exchanged with Edward Herbert for the position of Chief Justice of the King's Bench Sir Edward Herbert c. 1648 – November 1698 1687–1689 Dismissed after fleeing to Ireland with James II Sir Henry Pollexfen 1632 – 15 June 1691 6 May 1689 – 15 June 1691 Died Sir George Treby 1643 – 13 December 1700 30 April 1692 – 13 December 1700 Died Thomas Trevor, 1st Baron Trevor 8 March 1658 – 19 June 1730 5 July 1701 – 14 October 1714 Not reappointed by George I Peter King, 1st Baron King c. 1669 – 22 July 1734 27 October 1714 – 1 June 1725 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir Robert Eyre 1666 – 28 December 1735 1725–1735 Died Sir Thomas Reeve 1673 – 19 January 1737 26 January 1736 – 19 January 1737 Died Sir John Willes 29 November 1685 – 15 December 1761 28 January 1737 – 15 December 1761 Died Charles Pratt, 1st Baron Camden 21 March 1714 – 18 April 1794 January 1762 – 30 July 1766 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir John Eardley Wilmot 16 August 1709 – 5 February 1792 20 August 1766 – 26 January 1771 Resigned Sir William de Grey 7 July 1719 – 9 May 1781 January 1771 – June 1780 Resigned Alexander Wedderburn 13 February 1733 – 2 January 1805 1780–1793 Appointed Lord Keeper of the Great Seal Sir James Eyre 1734 – 1 July 1799 11 February 1793 – 1 July 1799 Died John Scott, 1st Baron Eldon 4 June 1751 – 13 January 1838 17 July 1799 – 1801 Appointed Lord Chancellor Richard Pepper Arden, 1st Baron Alvanley 20 May 1744 – 19 March 1804 22 May 1801 – 19 March 1804 Died Sir James Mansfield 1733 – 23 May 1821 24 April 1804 – 21 February 1814 Resigned Sir Vicary Gibbs 27 October 1751 – 1820 February 1814–November 1818 Resigned Sir Robert Dallas 16 October 1756 – 25 December 1824 November 1818–1824 Retired Robert Gifford, 1st Baron Gifford 24 February 1779 – 4 September 1826 9 January 1824 – 5 April 1824 Appointed Master of the Rolls Sir William Best 13 December 1767 – 3 March 1845 15 April 1824 – June 1829 Retired Sir Nicholas Conyngham Tindal 12 December 1776 – 6 July 1846 9 June 1829 – 6 July 1846 Died Sir Thomas Wilde 7 July 1782–November 1855 6 July 1846 – 15 July 1850 Appointed Lord Chancellor Sir John Jervis 12 January 1802 – 1 November 1856 16 July 1850 – 1 November 1856 Died Sir Alexander Cockburn, 12th Baronet 24 September 1802 – 20 November 1880 November 1856 – 24 June 1859 Appointed Chief Justice of England Sir William Erle 1 October 1793 – 28 January 1880 June 1859 – November 1866 Retired Sir William Bovill 26 May 1814 – 1 November 1873 November 1866 –1 November 1873 Died John Duke Coleridge, 1st Baron Coleridge 3 December 1820 – 14 June 1894 November 1873 – 20 November 1880 Court merged with the Court of King's Bench and the Exchequer of pleas; became the first Lord Chief Justice of a unified High Court.[2] References
- ^ Kiralfy, p. 121
- ^ a b Lord Mackay of Clashfern (ed.) (2002) Halsbury's Laws of England, 4th ed. Vol.10 (Reissue), "Courts", 603 'Divisions of the High Court'
- ^ "Oxford DNB theme:Chief Justices of the Common Pleas (subscription needed)". Oxford University Press. 2004. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/theme/93045?backToResults=list=yes. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
Bibliography
- Kiralfy, A.K.R (1962). Potter's Historical Introduction to English Law and Its Institutions. London: Sweet & Maxwell, Ltd..
Categories:- English judges
- Lists of English people
- Lists of judges in the United Kingdom
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