ABSTRACT
The judge is perhaps the most visible expression of law in the English legal system. In their wigs and gowns for ceremonial occasions or at the head of the court, judges are often depicted as representing the full majesty of the law. As Berlins and Dyer (2000) have commented: ‘The English judge . . . is, to some people, the awesome embodiment of wisdom, independence and impartiality in a free society. To others he is an elderly, remote, crusty figure wearing ridiculous fancy dress, speaking strange jargon and holding views more appropriate to the nineteenth century.’ The latter view reflects the suspicion that the background of the judges means that they are, in some senses, ‘out of touch’ with society. Nevertheless, there have been many famous, and many great, judges and, as this chapter indicates, some have had a profound influence on the law.
