Chief Justice of Connacht facts for kids
The Chief Justice of Connacht was an important judge in the old Irish province of Connacht. This judge helped the Lord President of Connaught with legal cases. The Lord President was like the main boss of the legal system, and his job started in 1569. The very first Chief Justice was Ralph Rokeby. He had another judge, Robert Dillon, helping him. Rokeby's main job was to bring English laws, called common law, to Connacht. But it was a tough job! He even wrote to the government in London that the people didn't want to follow these new laws.
Contents
The Role of the Chief Justice
In 1604, King James I gave the Lord President huge powers. These powers allowed him to hear many types of cases. He could even use martial law, which is when the military takes control of law enforcement. He could also go after the King's enemies. Ralph Rokeby had actually asked for these strong powers. He believed it was the only way to bring order to Connacht.
However, these wide powers caused problems. They clashed with the powers of older, established courts. So, in 1622, the Chief Justices of Connacht and Munster were told not to get involved in cases. These were cases that belonged to other courts. This meant they had to respect the "jurisdiction," or legal authority, of other courts.
How Important Was the Job?
The job of Chief Justice seemed like a lot of work. Sometimes, the Chief Justice had two or even three assistant judges. In comparison, the Chief Justice of Munster usually had only one assistant.
But sometimes, the job wasn't seen as very important. For example, when Geoffrey Osbaldeston became Chief Justice in 1606, many thought it was a step down for him. People believed he wasn't very good at his job. This suggests that the position wasn't always considered a top legal role.
Still, if a Chief Justice did well, they could get promoted. They might move to a higher court, like the High Court. Judges like James Donnellan, Adam Cusack, and Oliver Jones were rewarded this way. An Attorney General named William Hilton also got a promotion.
Usually, the Chief Justice of Munster wasn't allowed to hold any other jobs. But this rule didn't seem to apply in Connacht. Thomas Dillon was both Chief Justice and a judge on the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland).
Other Judges and Legal Helpers
We don't know as much about the other judges who helped the Chief Justice. Sir Robert Dillon was the first "second justice." He later became a very important judge himself. Adam Cusack was also a second justice in 1662. James Donnellan was a "third justice" from 1627 to 1634. The last second justice we know of was Justice Johnson, who served from 1670 to 1672.
The Chief Justice also got advice from the "Attorney General for Connacht." This person was the main legal advisor. The most famous Attorney General was Gerald Comerford, who held the job for his whole life (1591-1604). William Hilton was Attorney General from 1626 to 1637. He is remembered as the brother-in-law of a famous church leader, Archbishop James Ussher. John Shadwell was appointed in 1662 and seems to have been the last Attorney General.
The job of Chief Justice of Connacht ended in 1672. This happened when the provincial presidencies, which were like regional governments, were abolished.
List of Chief Justices of Connacht (1569-1672)
- 1569 Ralph Rokeby
- 1577 Thomas Dillon
- 1606 Henry Dillon
- 1607 Geoffrey Osbaldeston
- 1634 James Donnellan
- 1662 Oliver Jones
- 1670 Adam Cusack
Office abolished 1672
List of Attorneys General for Connacht
This list is not complete.
- 1591 Gerald Comerford (appointed for life)
- c.1620 Damien Pecke
- 1625 Walter Archer
- 1626 William Hilton
- 1637 Edward Ayscough
- 1649 Oliver Jones (reappointed 1660)
- 1662 John Shadwell
Office abolished 1672
