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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1977-06-30, Page 58w 'd. rr ti • Justice Prior- to 1842 the Huron Tract was part of the London District. In 1842 the Huron District, comprising what is now the Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce, was established, with Goderich being the District Seat, and Judge Arthur Acland as its first judge. Although the Huron District was dissolved in 1849 and the three counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce erected in its stead, Goderich remained the County Seat of the United Counties of Huron, Perth and Bruce until 1853, when Perth became a separate county with its own court house and judge, but continued on as the County Seat of the United Counties of Huron and Bruce until 1866 when Bruce was made a separate county. In the early days, before the old Goderich Court House, which was destroyed by fire in 1954, was built, Courts of Assize and County Courts were heldin the old British Hotel, known as "Rat- tenbury's". Smith's Canadian Gazetteer of 1846 notes that, in that year, Goderich had a population of 659 but boasted a stone jail and court house and'two lawyers. In 1877, when Goderich was fifty years old, Seeker Brough (who had been Tiger Dunlop's lawyer in the famous disputed election hearing of 1841) was the County Court Judge of Huron County. .It is interesting to compare the jurisdiction then enjoyed by a county judge with the jurisdiction such judge has today. In 1877 the county judge had jurisdiction to 'try personal actions where the amount involved did not exceed Scot' - `1855 ,..,.., I:r uStra 1856 tet C 4866 er Bro j X1877 qt:R. S 1882:! �utt'i<e ac F. 1895 To 1882 udRe .1 mes Masi °1896 1902 uclge'Bernard L. D 2 - 1916 utdge:Lewis A. Dick 1.16 - 1923 'r ucieE', ward N. ..,3 1930 }dtl�mas M Cp 1-1954 7t►c1ge.F lank Fingl s. 195'-1964 edge R Hetherfn 19 4 - 1973 Judge Fran3cis- G. Ca P 101 test icor Jud le, in l w,] uentl ges. A on. $200.00. Today, the county judge _ has absolute jurisdiction to try cases in- volving up to $7,500.00; and if no party challenges his jurisdiction to do so, may try cases in any amount. In criminal matters the county judge today may try all indictable offences except treason, alarming per Majesty, intimidating Parliament, inciting to mutiny, sedition, piracy, piratical acts, murder, corrupting justice, and the offence of, attempting or conspiring to commit or being an ace ory after the fact to some of those offences. He may, for example, try a person for attempted murder or rape, and if that person so elects, he may try him without a jury. In 1877, the list of felonies a county court judge could not hear was much longer, and included certain forms of larceny and offences involving explosives. Today, he also -takes sum- mary conviction appeals (e.g, impaired driving offences) from the Provincial Judge. The county court judge is also the local judge of the High Court of Justice for Ontario - and, as such, has had jurisdiction to hear divorce cases since 1970. He is also Local Master of the Supreme Court of Ontario, and Surrogate Court Judge, the latter position requiring that he pass on the sufficiency of wills presented to him for probate, and deal with letters of administration, letters of guardianship, custody of children and other matters. He is also the Small Claims Court Judge. The Small Claims Court deals with cases where the amount involved, (generally speaking) isunder $400.00. Cases involving $200.00 or less are nen- appealable.- In 1877 the limit of the Division Courts' . (aslj it then was called)_ jurisdiction in a personal action was $40.00. The county judge is also'in certain counties - Huron is one - the Citizenship CoOrt Judge. He may also be coifed upon to act as Extradition Judge. under the Canadiaan Extradition Act. In many counties, he is also a..member of the police commission, , Ontario is new divided into eight judicial districts; ea7ch comprising a number hof counties. Huron is in District No, 1, which also includes Bruce, Perth, Middlesex,< Lambton, . Elgin, Oxford, Kent and Essex Counties. A county judge may be, and frequently is, required to adjudicate • in any other county in his district. lir fact, he may be asked to sit as. judge in any county in Ontario. The history. of the Huron - County Court Judges .follows: Iudge ArthurAcland .. Arthur Acland,. first Judge Of the County Court for Huron, was a son of M. Gideon Acland, barrister, of Perth, Ont., and 'later St. Thomas. He studied law in the office of William Draper (afterward Chief Justice) and one of 15 persons . qualified as magistrates in the. Huron District.:'` He was appointed Judge on December 6.4841. In the Days . of the 'Canada Canada:, Company (Liars) describes him as an English- man(?) of convivial type,. Judge Arthur Acland • "He, like Dr.. Dunlop, had a. liquor case, made much after the manner of that of the Twelve ` Apostles, , but con- taining only six bottles. . . Circuit meant travelling at stated times, be the roads as they. .might, and provision for a belated • state was but common prudence." Mr. Acland married Sarah Aldred Williams, a native of St. Catharines. They had no children, but Arthur Acland Williams, son of Raby Williams, Colborne township, was named for the Judge. Judge John Scott Judge John Scott was; the second Judge of Huron County. His tenure .of..office . 1854-1855 was very short and aid Ir i there is a'dearth of mat concerning him. I.udge John Strachan John Strachan, third sop' the Anglican Bishop Toronto, was Judge of Hu County from 1855 to 1 Born in 1815, he was enrol at Upper Canada Colle (then called Minor College) 1830 and was removed 1 there by his parents when was 16. For some time; lived with Alexand Bethune, who supervised education. His sister. Elizabeth w married to Thomas Me Jones, commissioner of Canada Company, and moved ' to Goderich. J began the practice of "here and • in 1845 marri Margaret Ann Jone daughter of Judge Jo Jones of the Supreme Co but at the age of 30 he was success as a barrister, his most notable talent said to be that of spend money: Appointed Judge of District Court of Huron Bruce in. 1855, he became: the:,. following year, return to' his parents' home Toronto and died there. only 'son, George Crooksha died the same year. Judge Robert'Cooper • Although Judge Cooperw judge of Huron County f 1856-1866; all that we kno him is that he was a tails! Englishman with no ear music (Lizars) Judge Luke Brough Luke (Seeker) Brough Turn to page 1 Ma g1, 181 On. ling Idd ilmc all e o. to el 18' hip r in1E A.) or ar apl dty s c ume ng8 ;m a in rode r net ' ilio; mis ier 'biti edi e. liur J ned the th me e for enc