William Oliphant, Lord Newton facts for kids

Sir William Oliphant, Lord Newton (1551–1628) was an important Scottish judge. He became a lawyer, known as an advocate, in 1577. Later, he worked as an Advocate Depute starting in 1604.

William Oliphant gained the favor of James VI, the King of Scotland, by changing his mind about defending some ministers in 1606. He was appointed a judge in the Court of Session from 1611 to 1626. His special title as a judge was Lord Newton. He also served as the Lord Advocate, which is like the chief legal officer, from 1612 to 1626. In 1615, he became a member of a new court called the High Commission. He helped create the way witnesses are questioned in court today. He was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh after he died on April 13, 1628.

William Oliphant's Life and Career

William Oliphant of Newton was a lawyer from Perthshire, Scotland. He joined the Scottish bar, which means he became a lawyer, on October 20, 1577. Five years later, in 1582, he was appointed a justice-depute. This role involved helping with legal cases. In 1604, he worked as an advocate-depute for Sir Thomas Hamilton, who was the king's advocate.

Working for the King

In the same year, William Oliphant was chosen for a group that discussed uniting Scotland with England. He was picked because he was seen as someone who would be good for this important task. In 1607, he was part of a group that worked to improve how grammar was taught in schools. Teaching methods had become confusing, with different teachers using their own ideas.

Oliphant's reputation as a lawyer grew stronger. He was involved in many major legal cases. In 1606, he was supposed to defend six ministers, but he decided not to. He explained that the king had promised to be lenient if they admitted their mistake. By changing his brief, he won the king's approval. The king rewarded him well for this decision.

In 1608, the king's council wrote a letter to the king. They named Oliphant as one of the most skilled and experienced lawyers. In November 1610, he became a justice of the peace for Perthshire. This role meant he helped keep order and enforce laws in the area.

Becoming a Judge and Lord Advocate

In January 1611, William Oliphant became a judge, taking over from Sir David Lindsay. The privy council, a group of royal advisors, wrote to the king about how popular this choice was. They said his past actions showed he deserved the king's attention.

The next year, on June 19, 1612, the king officially named him the king's advocate. He took over from Hamilton, who had a new role. On July 9, he joined the privy council as lord-advocate and was knighted by the chancellor. He also kept his position as a judge. Parliament approved his appointment in October and gave him a yearly payment for life.

Important Legal Work

William Oliphant played a big part in the political events during the last years of King James's rule. Records show he attended almost every meeting of the privy council. In December 1612, he was on a special group to solve problems between town and country judges.

He was also a commissioner for important trials. For example, he helped with the trials of Jesuit Robert Philip in 1613 and Father John Ogilvie in 1614. In December 1615, he joined the High Commission court again. In May 1616, he was on a committee to review a book called 'God and the King'. The king wanted this book used in Scotland, just like in England and Ireland.

In December 1616, Oliphant was chosen for a financial committee of the council. This group was known as the commissioners for the king's rents. As the king's advocate, he was involved in many major legal cases. He also worked to enforce new laws against selling tobacco and carrying certain types of guns. His many prosecutions showed how active he was in his role.

In 1621, parliament confirmed that he and his sons, James and William, would keep their family lands. In February 1626, he had to leave his judge position. This was because King Charles I made a rule that state officers and nobles could not also be regular judges in the Court of Session.

William Oliphant died on April 13, 1628, and was buried in the Greyfriars Kirkyard in Edinburgh. He is remembered for helping to establish the current way witnesses are questioned during trials, where they speak in front of the jury.

Family Background

Sir William Oliphant was the son of Thomas Oliphant of Freeland. He was the father of Sir James Oliphant, Lord Newton, who became the 1st Baronet and died in 1648. You can find more information about his family at Oliphant baronets.