Lord Chief Justice

The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales is the second-highest judge of the Courts of England and Wales, after the Lord Chancellor, and the presiding judge of Criminal Division of the Court of Appeal, and of the King's Bench Division of the High Court.

Originally, the three high common law courts, the Court of Common Pleas, the Court of the King's (or Queen's) Bench, and the Court of the Exchequer, each had their own Chief Justice. That of the Exchequer Court was styled as the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and that of the Common Pleas was Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, leaving the head of the King's (or Queen's) Bench to be known simply as the Lord Chief Justice. The courts, however, were combined in 1873, leaving a single Chief Justice.

There is also a Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland. The Lord Chief Justice's equivalent in Scotland is the Lord President of the Court of Session, who also holds the post of Lord Justice-General in the High Court of Justiciary.

Lord Chief Justices, King's Bench

Office Holder

Year
of
appointment

Robert De Brus 1268-1274
Ralph De Hengham 1274-1290
Gilbert De Thornton 1290-1296
Roger Le Brabazon 1296-1316
William Inge 1316-1317
Henry Le Scrope 1317-1323
Hervey De Staunton 1323-1324
Geoffrey Le Scrope 1324-1329
Robert De Malberthorpe 1329
Henry Le Scrope 1329-1330
Geoffrey Le Scrope 1330-1332
Richard De Willoughby 1332
Geoffrey Le Scrope 1332-1333
Richard De Willoughby 1333-1337
Geoffrey Le Scrope 1337-1338
Richard De Willoughby 1338-1340
Sir Robert Parning 1340-1341
Sir William Scot 1341-1346
Sir William De Thorpe 1346-1350
Sir William De Shareshull 1350-1357
Sir Thomas De Seton 1357-1361
Sir Henry Greene 1361-1365
Sir John Knynett 1365-1372
John De Cavendish 1372-1381
Sir Robert Tresylian 1381-1388
Sir Walter De Clopton 1388-1400
Sir William Gascoigne 1400-1413
Sir William Hankford 1413-1424
Sir William Cheney 1424-1439
Sir John Ivyn 1439-1440
Sir John Hody 1440-1442
Sir John Fortescue 1442-1461
Sir John Markham 1461-1469
Sir Thomas Billing 1469-1481
Sir William Hussey 1481-1495
Sir John Finieux 1495-1526
Sir John FitzJames 1526-1539
Sir Edward Montague 1539-1545
Sir Richard Lyster 1545-1552
Sir Roger Cholmley 1552-1553
Sir Thomas Bromley 1553-1555
Sir William Portman 1555-1557
Sir Edward Saunders 1557-1559
Sir Robert Catlin 1559-1574
Sir Christopher Wray 1574-1592
Sir John Popham 1592-1607

Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas

Office Holder

Year
of
appointment

Sir Thomas Bryan 1485-1500
Sir Thomas Wood 1500-1502
Sir Thomas Frowyk 1502-1506
Sir Robert Read 1506-1519
Sir John Ernle 1519-1521
Sir Robert Brudenell 1521-1531
Robert Norwich 1531-1535
Sir John Baldwin 1535-1545
Sir Edward Montague 1545-1553
Sir Richard Morgan 1553-1554
Sir Robert Brooke 1554-1558
Sir Anthony Browne 1558-1559
Sir James Dyer 1559-1582
Sir Edmund Anderson 1582-1605
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