James Hunt (judge)
Encyclopedia
Sir Patrick James Hunt was an English
barrister
and High Court judge
.
Hunt was born in Coalville
in Leicestershire
, where his father was a solicitor
. He was educated at the Boys' Grammar School
in Ashby de la Zouch, and read modern history at Keble College, Oxford
. He did not concentrate on his studies, spending his energies on extracurricular activities, and graduated with a fourth class degree.
He became a teacher of English, but was called to the bar at Gray's Inn
in 1968 and joined the Chambers at 1 King's Bench Walk after serving a pupillage
there with David Smout. He practised mainly in criminal law on the Midland and Oxford Circuit, with a side line in personal injury. His obituaries praise his strong court performance and ability to pitch his argument to suit the jury. He served as defence counsel in the Matrix Churchill
case in 1992, and in the murder
trial of Beverley Allitt in 1993. He was prosecution counsel in the trial of groom
Clem O'Brien for the murder of racehorse trainer Alex Scott
in 1995.
He became head of chambers at 36 Bedford Row from 1991 to 1999, and became a bencher
at Gray's Inn. He became a Queen's Counsel
in 1987, was a member of the General Council of the Bar
from 1989 to 1991 and 1996 to 1999, and Leader of the Midland and Oxford Circuit from 1996 to 1999.
He sat as a Recorder
from 1982 to 2000, and as a Deputy High Court judge from 1994 to 2000. He was appointed a High Court judge
in 2000, in the Queen's Bench Division, and received the customary knighthood. On 21 November 2000, he granted an injunction
to Michael Douglas
and Catherine Zeta-Jones
to prevent publication of pictures of their wedding in Hello! magazine, but the injunction was quickly overturned by the Court of Appeal. Douglas and Zeta-Jones later won substantial damages. He sat on the "Donnygate" trial in 2002, in which two men were sent to prison for corruption
at Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council.
He was involved in advocacy
training, and the James Hunt Library at Nottingham Trent University
is named in his honour.
He was diagnosed with a cancer
ous brain tumor
. He was survived by his wife - whom he married in 1969 after they met when he was a teacher
and she was his pupil
- and their son and three daughters. He sang as a bass with his local Gilbert and Sullivan
society and his brother's jazz
band.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
.
Hunt was born in Coalville
Coalville
Coalville is a town in North West Leicestershire, England, with a population estimated in 2003 to be almost 33,000. It is situated on the A511 trunk road between Leicester and Burton upon Trent, close to junction 22 of the M1 motorway where the A511 meets the A50 between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and...
in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, where his father was a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
. He was educated at the Boys' Grammar School
Ashby School
Ashby School, formerly known as Ashby Grammar School, is a co-educational day and boys' boarding comprehensive school in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, England.-Admissions:...
in Ashby de la Zouch, and read modern history at Keble College, Oxford
Keble College, Oxford
Keble College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its main buildings are on Parks Road, opposite the University Museum and the University Parks. The college is bordered to the north by Keble Road, to the south by Museum Road, and to the west by Blackhall...
. He did not concentrate on his studies, spending his energies on extracurricular activities, and graduated with a fourth class degree.
He became a teacher of English, but was called to the bar at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1968 and joined the Chambers at 1 King's Bench Walk after serving a pupillage
Pupillage
A pupillage, in England and Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland, is the barrister's equivalent of the training contract that a solicitor undertakes...
there with David Smout. He practised mainly in criminal law on the Midland and Oxford Circuit, with a side line in personal injury. His obituaries praise his strong court performance and ability to pitch his argument to suit the jury. He served as defence counsel in the Matrix Churchill
Arms-to-Iraq
The Arms-to-Iraq affair concerned the uncovering of the government-endorsed sale of arms by British companies to Iraq, then under the rule of Saddam Hussein...
case in 1992, and in the murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
trial of Beverley Allitt in 1993. He was prosecution counsel in the trial of groom
Groom (horses)
A groom is a person who is responsible for some or all aspects of the management of horses and/or the care of the stables themselves. The term most often refers to a person who is the employee of a stable owner, but even an owner of a horse may perform the duties of a groom, particularly if the...
Clem O'Brien for the murder of racehorse trainer Alex Scott
Alex Scott (racehorse trainer)
Alexander Archibald Scott was a British thoroughbred racehorse trainer who was murdered by an employee with a grievance. He was born the 3rd son of Sir James Scott, the 2nd Baronet of Rotherfield Park and educated at Eton and Queens' College, Cambridge...
in 1995.
He became head of chambers at 36 Bedford Row from 1991 to 1999, and became a bencher
Bencher
A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a barrister , in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law...
at Gray's Inn. He became a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
in 1987, was a member of the General Council of the Bar
Bar council
A bar council , in a Commonwealth country and in the Republic of Ireland, the Bar Council of Ireland is a professional body that regulates the profession of barristers together with the King's Inns. Solicitors are generally regulated by the Law society....
from 1989 to 1991 and 1996 to 1999, and Leader of the Midland and Oxford Circuit from 1996 to 1999.
He sat as a Recorder
Recorder (judge)
A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales. It now refers to two quite different appointments. The ancient Recorderships of England and Wales now form part of a system of Honorary Recorderships which are filled by the most senior full-time circuit judges...
from 1982 to 2000, and as a Deputy High Court judge from 1994 to 2000. He was appointed a High Court judge
High Court judge
A High Court judge is a judge of the High Court of Justice, and represents the third highest level of judge in the courts of England and Wales. High Court judges are referred to as puisne judges...
in 2000, in the Queen's Bench Division, and received the customary knighthood. On 21 November 2000, he granted an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
to Michael Douglas
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas is an American actor and producer, primarily in movies and television. He has won three Golden Globes and two Academy Awards; first as producer of 1975's Best Picture, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and as Best Actor in 1987 for his role in Wall Street. Douglas received the...
and Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
to prevent publication of pictures of their wedding in Hello! magazine, but the injunction was quickly overturned by the Court of Appeal. Douglas and Zeta-Jones later won substantial damages. He sat on the "Donnygate" trial in 2002, in which two men were sent to prison for corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
at Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council.
He was involved in advocacy
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
training, and the James Hunt Library at Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
is named in his honour.
He was diagnosed with a cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
ous brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
. He was survived by his wife - whom he married in 1969 after they met when he was a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
and she was his pupil
Pupil
The pupil is a hole located in the center of the iris of the eye that allows light to enter the retina. It appears black because most of the light entering the pupil is absorbed by the tissues inside the eye. In humans the pupil is round, but other species, such as some cats, have slit pupils. In...
- and their son and three daughters. He sang as a bass with his local Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
society and his brother's jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
band.