Jonathan Christian facts for kids

Jonathan Christian (born February 17, 1808, in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary – died October 29, 1887, in Dublin) was an important Irish judge. He held several high positions in the legal world. He was a Solicitor-General for Ireland from 1856 to 1858. He also served as a judge in the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland) from 1858 to 1867. Later, he became a Lord Justice of Appeal in 1867. When the new Irish Court of Appeal was created in 1878, he joined it briefly before retiring.

Christian was known as one of the best lawyers in Ireland during his time. However, as a judge, he often caused arguments. He had a sharp and sarcastic personality and didn't hide his dislike for many of his colleagues. This led to frequent disagreements both in court and in the newspapers. Even though the House of Commons criticized him several times for his behavior, it seems no one seriously considered removing him from his job.

Family and Education

Jonathan Christian was born in Carrick-on-Suir. He was the third son of George Christian, who was a solicitor, and his wife Margaret Cormack. He studied at Trinity College Dublin. In 1831, he joined Gray's Inn, which is a professional association for barristers in London. He became a lawyer in Ireland in 1834. In 1859, he married Mary Thomas. They had four sons and four daughters. He lived at Ravenswell, in Bray, County Wicklow.

Starting His Legal Career

His first years as a lawyer were tough. He even felt like giving up sometimes because he wasn't having much success. He worked mainly in the Court of Chancery (Ireland). The legal procedures there were very complicated, and he found them hard to understand at first.

However, he slowly mastered these complex rules. He became a leading lawyer in Chancery practice. In 1841, he was appointed a Queen's Counsel, which is a special title for experienced lawyers. People said that his knowledge of Chancery procedures was so great that even the Lord Chancellor couldn't argue with him.

In 1850, he was appointed as a Law Adviser to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. This was an important role where he helped the Attorney General and Solicitor General advise the government. But he resigned after only a few months. He said it was because the job interfered with his private legal work. Later that same year, he became the Third Sergeant, another important legal position. He resigned from this role in 1855, supposedly because he was disappointed he didn't get a higher promotion.

But promotion did come his way. The next year, he became the Solicitor General. In 1858, he was appointed a judge of the Court of Common Pleas. He was unusual because he didn't have strong political loyalties. People said only he knew which political party he truly supported.

Later Years and Retirement

In his later years, Christian continued to have a difficult temper. He criticized other judges, including Chief Justice James Whiteside. He accused Whiteside of talking constantly about things he didn't understand.

Towards the end of his career, he seemed to be a lonely person. He strongly opposed the Supreme Court of Judicature (Ireland) Act 1877, but his efforts were completely unsuccessful. This feeling of being alone might have partly led to his decision to retire. Also, he was becoming increasingly deaf, which certainly played a part in his retirement.

What People Thought of Him

Legal experts like Delaney praised Christian as a great master of equity law. They described him as a very learned man and a judge who truly wanted to see justice done. However, even his supporters agreed that Christian loved arguments. His supporters spoke of his "arrows too sharply pointed," meaning his words were often too harsh. Critics called his style "personal sarcasm, cold, keen and cynical."

Christian probably genuinely wanted to make sure judges behaved properly. But as Hogan, another legal expert, pointed out, Christian's own behavior often seemed much more improper than anything he complained about in others.

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