Joseph Yates (judge) facts for kids

Sir Joseph Yates (born in 1722 – died June 7, 1770) was an important English judge from Peel Hall, Lancashire. He was known for being fair and honest in his work.

Early Life and Career

Joseph Yates was born in Manchester. His father, also named Joseph Yates, was a lawyer. Joseph went to Manchester Grammar School and then studied at The Queen's College, Oxford. He later studied law at Staple Inn and the Inner Temple before becoming a lawyer himself in 1753.

In 1761, he became a King's Council for the Duchy of Lancaster, which meant he advised the King on legal matters for that area. He was knighted in 1763, which gave him the title "Sir."

A Judge's Life

In 1764, Sir Joseph Yates became a judge in the King's Bench. This was a very important court in England. In the same year, he also became the Chancellor of Durham.

During his time on the King's Bench, he was involved in a famous legal case involving a man named John Wilkes. Sir Joseph Yates had to make a decision in this important trial.

Later, in 1770, he moved to another high court called the Court of Common Pleas. He served there for only about a month before he passed away.

Sir Joseph Yates was buried in Cheam, Surrey, where there is a special monument to remember him.

Family Connections

Sir Joseph Yates married Elizabeth Baldwyn. They had a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth. Charlotte Elizabeth later married Cholmeley Dering. Among their descendants is Jeremy Hunt, who is a well-known politician in the United Kingdom.

Important Legal Cases

One of the famous cases Sir Joseph Yates worked on was called Millar v Taylor. This case was about whether authors had the right to control copies of their books even after they were first published. This was an early discussion about what we now call Copyright.

Thoughts on Privacy

Sir Joseph Yates had interesting ideas about privacy. He once wrote that everyone has the right to keep their thoughts and writings private if they choose. He believed that a person should decide if they want to share their ideas with the public or only with friends. He said that if someone takes or uses another person's private writings without permission, it's like stealing their property. This shows he believed in the importance of personal privacy, even a long time ago!

Images for kids

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  John Wilkes before the King's Bench, 1768