Lord Justicen.
/ˌlɔːd ˈdʒʌstɪs/, U.S. /ˌlɔrd ˈdʒəstəs/ 1. In non-technical use: (the title of) a high-ranking justice or senior judge. Frequently preceded by a possessive adjective (esp. my) as a form of address or reference. Now chiefly in historical and fantasy fiction.
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society > law > administration of justice > one who administers justice > judge > [noun] > of superior court
justicec1300
Lord Justice1511
justiciary?1531
justicer1535
justiciarc1575
ordinary1607
red judge1854
1511 in J. B. Paul Accts. Treasurer Scotl. (1902) IV. 319 To my lorde justice expensis beand at the airis.
1611 in R. Pitcairn Criminal Trials Scotl. (1833) III. 214 My lord justice to advert thairvnto.
1635 R. Wodrow in R. A. Hay Geneal. Sainteclaires (1835) 88 The Lord Justice, after private rounding with his assessors, granted the morrow.
1749 H. Fielding Tom Jones II. viii. xi. 153 Down came my Lord Justice Page to hold the Assizes. View more context for this quotation
1813 Odes to Pillory 18 As my Lord Justice says-—‘False, false as hell!’
1883 O. Wilde Duchess of Padua iv. 92 Go, my Lord Justice, search the statutes well.
1914 R. H. Benson Oddsfish! vii. 92 I heard silence made, and my Lord Justice Scroggs beginning his speech.
1984 G. Jennings Journeyer 673 My Lord Justice is as masterful a man as my late dear husband.
2009 A. E. Beck Master-e xvi. 97 The Chief Wise Lord Justice, in flowing black robes, entered the proceedings and immediately issued his rulings.
2. In full Lord Justice of Ireland. (The title of) a commissioner entrusted with viceregal authority in Ireland by the English monarch during the absence of the Lord Lieutenant or the vacancy of that office. Now historical.
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1577 R. Stanyhurst Treat. Descr. Irelande vi. f. 22/2, in R. Holinshed Chron. I Iames Butler Erle of Ormond, was Lord Iustice of Ireland, in the yeare, 1359.
1643 Decl. Commons in J. T. Gilbert Hist. Irish Confederation (1882) II. xxii His Majesty..did upon their allegiance charge the Lords Justices and Councell to take care that those persons did not sow sedition among his good subjects.
1724 J. Swift Some Observ. Wood's Half-pence 3 As if it were a Dispute between William Wood on the one Part, and the Lords Justices, Privy-Council and Both Houses of Parliament on the other.
1759 W. H. Dilworth Life of Pope 72 He was one of the lord-justices of Ireland.
1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. vi. 139 During that interval the king was represented by a board of lords justices.
1921 M. Hayden & G. A. Moonan Short Hist. Irish People (1922) ii. ii. 126 The chief actors in the crime were the principal Normans in Ireland—the Lord Justice (Fitz-Gerald), the De Lacys, De Burgh and others.
2012 C. Maginn William Cecil, Ireland, & Tudor State ii. iv. 99 In response to Sir Henry Wallop's, then the lord justice of Ireland's, request for more money Burghley made clear that the queen would release no further treasure.
3. In full Lord Justice of the Realm. (The title of) a member of a body entrusted with viceregal authority during the British monarch's absence. Now historical.
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1695 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) III. 515 The lords justices, considering the unseasonablenesse of the weather, have..prohibited the exportation of corn.
1726 N. Amhurst Terræ-filius (ed. 2) I. 27 Which sermon the Lords-justices of the realm (in the King's absence) order'd the vice-chancellor to prosecute according to the statute.
1847 J. MacGregor Commerc. Statistics III. xv. xxiii. 760 The governor..received a reprimand from the lords justices, the king being absent, for consenting to the duty on English goods.
1936 J. Beresford Storm & Peace i. 14 He was not only an influential member of the Government as the Lord Steward of the Household, but one of the Lords Justices of the Realm during the absence of the King in Hanover.
1991 Huntington Libr. Q. 54 61 At last, in April 1697, William restored Sunderland to the privy council,..and named him a lord justice of the realm.
4. In full Lord Justice of Appeal. In the United Kingdom or (formerly) Great Britain and Ireland: (the title of) a judge of the Court of Appeal.
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1841 R. Swan Church Repairs (Knowsley Pamphlet Coll.) 22 The Court of Queen's Bench, in adopting the language of Lord Justice Vaughan in Hill v. Good, must be deemed [etc.].
1851 Act 14 & 15 Victoria c. 83 §3 The said Judges shall be styled Lord Justices of the Court of Appeal in Chancery.
1852 Colburn's United Service Mag. Dec. 597 A Carriage, conveying Lord Cranworth, Sir Lewis Knight Bruce, Lord Justices of Appeal.
1873 Act 36 & 37 Victoria c. 66 §6 The ordinary and additional Judges of the Court of Appeal shall be styled Lord Justices of Appeal.
1892 Law Times 92 156/1 Lord Justice Cotton..left the matter open for future consideration.
1920 A. F. Pollard Evol. Parl. xii. 245 All law lords and lords justices of appeal are sworn privy councillors.
1945 Daily Mail 19 Nov. 2/3 All day today Lord Justice Lawrence and Mr. Justice Birkett have been discussing..the arguments for and against postponement of the Nuremberg trials.
2002 Daily Tel. 14 Nov. 20/7 Lord Irvine's justification for taking powers in the Courts Bill to change judicial titles is that he will be able to make an honest woman of Lords Justices Hale and Arden, as their ladyships are known to the law.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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