Francis Alexander Anglin

Francis Alexander Anglin, PC ( born April 2, 1865 in Saint John, New Brunswick; † March 2, 1933 in Ottawa ) was a Canadian judge. He was a member from 1909 until his death in the Supreme Court of Canada, and was its chairman from 1924 ( Chief Justice ).

Biography

He was one of nine children of Timothy Anglin, a liberal deputies of the lower house; his younger sister Margaret Anglin was known around the turn of the century as a Broadway theater actress. Anglin was educated at the Collège Sainte -Marie in Montreal, and then studied at the University of Ottawa. In 1888 he was admitted to the bar and opened the firm Anglin & Mallon in Toronto. In 1896 he was secretary to the inheritance court in the province of Ontario.

1904 Anglin was elected judge of the Tax Division of the Supreme Court of Ontario. Prime Minister Wilfrid Laurier appointed him on 23 February 1909, the Supreme Court of Canada. On September 16, 1924, he resigned after the appointment by William Lyon Mackenzie King to succeed the late Louis Henry Davies as Chief Justice of.

The most important case over which the court had to judge under Anglins presidency, Edwards v. Canada ( Attorney General ) in 1928. That case involved the question of whether women may be members of the Senate. The written decision of Anglin noted that referred to in the Constitution called " people ", while generally quite women inclusive, in the specific case does not. The Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council, at that time the highest court of appeal for all areas of the British Empire, this decision overturned a year later, it allowed the appointment of senators. Anglin remained until February 28, 1934 at the office and died two days after his resignation.