Robert Finlay, 1st Viscount Finlay
PC | |
|---|---|
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| Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain | |
| In office 10 December 1916 – 10 January 1919 | |
| Prime Minister | David Lloyd George |
| Preceded by | The Lord Buckmaster |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Birkenhead |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Bannatyne Finlay 11 July 1842 Newhaven, Edinburgh |
| Died | 9 March 1929 (aged 86) Kensington, London |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Liberal Liberal Unionist Scottish Unionist |
| Spouse | Mary Innes (d. 1911) |
| Alma mater | University of Edinburgh Middle Temple |
Robert Bannatyne Finlay, 1st Viscount Finlay,
Background and education
Finlay was born at Cherry Bank in Newhaven,[2] Edinburgh, the son of William Finlay, a physician, and Ann, daughter of Robert Bannatyne.[3] He was educated at the Edinburgh Academy and Edinburgh University, graduating in medicine in 1864.[3]
Legal and political career
After entering
In 1900, Finlay became
One of his last official acts as Attorney General was to appoint his son,
Judicial career
On 19 December 1916, Finlay became Lord Chancellor in Lloyd George's coalition government, being at the same time created Baron Finlay, of Nairn in the County of Nairn.[6] It is generally thought that Finlay was a temporary appointment: Lloyd George excluded him from the War Cabinet and insisted that he forgo the £5,000 pension given to retired lord chancellors.[3] He sat on the Woolsack for three years, and in 1919, on his retirement, was created Viscount Finlay, of Nairn in the County of Nairn on 27 March.[7]
The following year he was appointed a British member of the Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and in 1921 was elected a Judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice established by the League of Nations. As a judge of the Permanent Court, he participated in the celebrated Lotus case in 1927, where the Court, by a bare majority, laid down the "Lotus principle" that States may exercise extraterritorial jurisdiction i.e. they may apply their national laws beyond their own borders, in any case where this is not explicitly prohibited. Finlay himself dissented from the majority decision.[8]
Finlay received the
Family
Lord Finlay married Mary, daughter of
Cases
- Cotman v Brougham [1918] AC 514
- Lotus case 1927 PCIJ series A No.9
References
- ^ "Lord Chancellors, printed paper office corridor (1)". Baz Manning. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- ^ Edinburgh and Leith Post Office Directory 1840-1855
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33132. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ "University intelligence". The Times. No. 36915. London. 3 November 1902. p. 11.
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36932. London. 22 November 1902. p. 12.
- ^ "No. 29870". The London Gazette. 19 December 1916. p. 12339.
- ^ "No. 31271". The London Gazette. 4 April 1919. p. 4414.
- ^ The case of the S.S. Lotus France v. Turkey 1927 PCIJ series A no.9
- ^ "Court Circular". The Times. No. 36888. London. 2 October 1902. p. 7.
External links
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