John St Leger (1674–1743)

Sir John St Leger (1674-1743) was an Irish barrister, politician and judge. He belonged to a well-known aristocratic family from County Cork. Since he was not highly regarded for his legal ability, it was thought by many of his contemporaries that he owed his professional success to his influential connections. As a judge he sat in the celebrated case of Sherlock v. Annesley, which caused a major Constitutional crisis, and led to his being imprisoned.

He was born at Doneraile, County Cork, son of John St Leger and his second wife Aphra, daughter of Thomas Harflete. His elder half-brother was Arthur St Leger, 1st Viscount Doneraile. Arthur's loyalty to his younger brother was evident throughout his life: he lobbied for John's appointment to the Bench in 1714 and spoke against a motion to commit him for contempt in the Irish House of Lords in 1719.

He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. He entered the Inner Temple in 1691, but was not called to the Bar until 1707, and even then he was notably dilatory in practicing his profession, prompting a famous jibe by Jonathan Swift that St Leger did not so much practice at the Bar as follow it at a distance. He became attached to the English Court in a minor capacity, and was something of a favourite of King William III, who gave him a knighthood in 1701.

He returned to Ireland and was nominated as Recorder of Cashel, but the appointment was vetoed by the Crown, possibly on the grounds of his political leanings, at a time when political differences were bitter. He sat in the Irish House of Commons as member for Doneraile, which was the St Leger family seat. On the accession of King George I in 1714, there was a "clean sweep" of the existing Tory judges, who were dismissed en bloc. St Leger was a Whig in politics, and this, together with the support of influential friends and of his brother Lord Doneraile was apparently considered enough to qualify him for appointment to the Bench. He became a Baron of the Court of Exchequer (Ireland). The appointment was greeted with general derision by those who knew him well : "God help the country where St Leger is made a judge!" remarked the poet Samuel Garth.

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