William Buell Richards
Sir William Buell Richards | |
|---|---|
The Honourable Sir William Buell Richards, portrait by his niece Frances Richards | |
| 1st Chief Justice of Canada | |
| In office September 30, 1875 – January 10, 1879 | |
| Nominated by | Alexander Mackenzie |
| Succeeded by | William Johnstone Ritchie |
| 1st Chief Justice of Ontario | |
| In office November 6, 1868 – September 29, 1875 | |
| Succeeded by | Robert Alexander Harrison |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Leeds | |
| In office 1848–1853 | |
| Preceded by | Ogle Robert Gowan |
| Succeeded by | Jesse Delong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 2, 1815 Brockville, Upper Canada |
| Died | January 26, 1889 (aged 73) Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Political party | Reformer |
| Spouse |
Deborah Catherine Muirhead
(m. 1846) |
| Relations | William Buell, uncle Stephen Richards, brother Albert Norton Richards, brother |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | St. Lawrence Academy |
Sir William Buell Richards PC (May 2, 1815 – January 26, 1889) was a Canadian lawyer, politician, and judge, and served as the first Chief Justice of Canada.
Under Richards' leadership, the Supreme Court was marked by controversy surrounding it's creation, concerns about the conduct of its justices, the length and lack of clarity in its decisions, and significant delays in the publication of those decisions.