The influence of a British legal education and practice at the bar on the judges appointed to the Supreme Courts of Southern Africa 1827-1910
This research has analyzed the influence of a British legal education and professional training on the judges who were appointed to the Supreme Courts of Southern Africa in the colonial period from 1827 to 1910. In Part I the history of legal education in England, Scotland and Ireland was discussed as the eighteen barristers and advocates who were studied in Part II were appointed from these three jurisdictions. Part II highlighted the early professional careers of these men following an excursus on the opportunities available at 'Home'. Part III examined and analyzed aspects of their judicial careers in Southern Africa in the light of the material discussed in Parts I and II. There was a considerable range of both experience and subsequent judicial ability among those judges appointed from the English Bar. Several were competent, with the exception of two judges, one apponted at the end of his career (Cole), and another whose appointment was brief owing to serious ill health (Ebden). The Irish judges were, on the whole, able, with the exception of FitzPatrick who was charged with incompetence, and though this was not adequately proved, detracts from his career. Of all the judges studied the Scot, Menzies,
Girvin, Stephen Darryl
History
The influence of a British legal education and practice at the bar on the judges appointed to the Supreme Courts of Southern Africa 1827-1910. This research has analyzed the influence of a British legal education and professional training on the judges who were appointed to the Supreme Courts of Southern Africa in the colonial period from 1827 to 1910. In Part I the history of legal education in England, Scotland and Ireland was discussed as the eighteen barristers and advocates who were studied in Part II were appointed from these three jurisdictions. Part II highlighted the early professional careers of these men following an excursus on the opportunities available at 'Home'. Part III examined and analyzed aspects of their judicial careers in Southern Africa in the light of the material discussed in Parts I and II. There was a considerable range of both experience and subsequent judicial ability among those judges appointed from the English Bar. Several were competent, with the exception of two judges, one apponted at the end of his career (Cole), and another whose appointment was brief owing to serious ill health (Ebden). The Irish judges were, on the whole, able, with the exception of FitzPatrick who was charged with incompetence, and though this was not adequately proved, detracts from his career. Of all the judges studied the Scot, Menzies,
influence british legal education practice bar judge appoint southern_africa analyzed influence british legal education professional training judge appoint southern_africa colonial_period part history legal education england scotland_ireland discuss eighteen advocate study part appoint jurisdiction part highlight early professional career men follow excursus opportunity available home part_iii examine analyzed aspect judicial career southern_africa light material discuss parts considerable range experience subsequent judicial ability among judge appoint english bar several competent exception judge end career another whose appointment brief owe serious ill_health irish judge whole able exception charge incompetence though adequately prove career judge study