John Laws (judge) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir John Laws
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| Lord Justice of Appeal | |
| In office 1999–2016 |
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| High Court Judge | |
| In office 1992–1998 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Grant McKenzie Laws
10 May 1945 |
| Died | 5 April 2020 (aged 74) Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, Chelsea, London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Spouse | Sophie Marshall |
| Alma mater | Exeter College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Judge |
| Profession | Barrister |
Sir John Grant McKenzie Laws (born 10 May 1945 – died 5 April 2020) was an important judge in England. He was a Lord Justice of Appeal from 1999 to 2016. This is a very senior role in the English legal system. He also taught law at the University of Cambridge.
Contents
Early Life and Education
John Laws was born on 10 May 1945. His parents were both doctors. He went to school at Chorister School, Durham and Durham School.
He then studied at Exeter College, Oxford, which is part of the University of Oxford. He earned a top degree in 1967. Later, in 2000, he became an Honorary Fellow of the college. This means the college recognized his achievements.
Becoming a Judge
John Laws started his legal career in 1970. He became a barrister, which is a type of lawyer who argues cases in court. He worked at the Inner Temple, one of the four groups barristers belong to in London.
In 1984, he became the First Junior Treasury Counsel (Common Law). This was an important role advising the government on legal matters. He also became a Recorder in 1985. A Recorder is a part-time judge.
High Court Judge
In 1992, John Laws was appointed a High Court Judge. This is a full-time judge who hears serious cases. When he became a High Court Judge, he was also made a knight. This is why he was called "Sir John Laws." He served in the Queen's Bench Division, which handles many different types of cases.
Lord Justice of Appeal
In 1999, Sir John Laws was promoted to the Court of Appeal. Here, he became a Lord Justice of Appeal. Judges in the Court of Appeal hear appeals from decisions made in lower courts. This means they review cases to see if the law was applied correctly. At this time, he also joined the Privy Council. This is a group of senior advisors to the King or Queen.
Important Cases
Sir John Laws was involved in several important legal decisions. One famous case was Thoburn v Sunderland City Council in 2002. In this case, he discussed how certain laws are more important than others. This idea was quite new and led to a lot of discussion among legal experts.
He also heard the first part of the case R v Somerset County Council, ex parte Fewings. This case was about whether a local council could stop hunting on land it owned. These cases helped shape how laws are understood and used in England.
Personal Life
Sir John Laws married Sophie Susan Sydenham Cole Marshall in 1973. They had one daughter together. Lady Laws passed away in 2017.
He was a member of the Garrick Club, a famous club in London. He was also the uncle of political adviser Dominic Cummings.
Sir John Laws passed away on 5 April 2020. He was being treated for other health issues and died due to complications from COVID-19.
