Henry Mitchell (Irish judge) facts for kids

Henry Mitchell (born around 1320 – died 1384) was an important Irish judge who lived in the 1300s. He was one of the very first people to hold the job of Attorney General for Ireland, which meant he was the King's main lawyer in Ireland. Later, he became a top judge in two important courts: the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and the Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas.

Early Life and Education

Henry Mitchell was born in a place called Killeek, which is in County Dublin, Ireland. His father's name was John Mitchell.

When Henry was about 24 years old, in 1344, records show he was living in England. He was probably there to study law. At that time, Ireland did not have its own law schools, so people who wanted to become lawyers often went to England to learn.

A Career in Law

Attorney General for Ireland

From 1372 to 1376, Henry Mitchell served as the Attorney General for Ireland. This was a very important job, as he was the chief legal advisor to the King in Ireland. For this work, he earned a salary of £1 and 1 shilling.

As Attorney General, Henry was allowed to work in two main courts: the Court of Exchequer (Ireland) and the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland). Back then, it was common for the Attorney General to have specific limits on where they could practice law.

Serving in Parliament

In 1375, Henry Mitchell was a member of the Irish House of Commons. This means he was part of the Parliament, which was a group of people who helped make laws and advise the King.

In the same year, Henry and another official named John FitzRery were given a special task. They were ordered to collect money that people owed to the King. These were called the King's debts.

Becoming a Chief Judge

Henry Mitchell held several important judging roles. In 1376, he briefly served as a Baron of the Exchequer. Soon after, from 1376 to 1377, he became the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. This made him the head judge of the court that dealt with the King's money and taxes.

After that, he moved to the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland) and became its Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas. This court handled disputes between ordinary people. The previous Chief Justice, Robert Preston, 1st Baron Gormanston, had asked to step down from his role. He likely retired because he was getting older. Henry Mitchell was then told to take over all the court records from him.

Henry Mitchell passed away in 1384.