New South Wales was fortunate in the selection of Francis Forbes as its first Chief Justice. Not only was he a sound lawyer and a good judge, but he was also a man of strong and upright character, tempered by a conciliatory manner. Without such qualities no one could long have presided over the administration of justice in the difficult formative years through which the Colony was then passing.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Australian Legal History
Another legal historical website I somehow missed is that of the Francis Forbes Society for Australian Legal History. It looks quite lively and includes, among other things, a link to a pdf of Ian Barker QC's paper, Sorely Tried: Democracy and Trial by Jury in New South Wales. A preface to the paper helps non-Aussies with the society's namesake, the first chief justice of New South Wales, who served between 13 October 1823 and 1 July 1837.
