Law Atlas

How The Law Decides
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Jurist

Isaac Isaacs

Modern Constitutional and Supreme Court Judges of Asia and Oceania

Isaac Isaacs (1855 to 1948) was an Australian lawyer and judge who was admitted to the bar in 1880 and became a prominent Melbourne barrister. He entered the Victorian Legislative Assembly in 1892, serving as Solicitor-General and Attorney-General of Victoria, before moving to federal politics in 1901 and becoming Attorney-General of Australia in 1905 under Alfred Deakin. He sat on the High Court of Australia for twenty-four years, from 1906 to 1931, and while on the court wrote the landmark Engineers case of 1920, which abolished the reserved powers doctrine and established the paramountcy of Commonwealth law. He served as Chief Justice from 1930 until 1931, when he was appointed the ninth Governor-General of Australia, the first Australian-born and first Jewish person to hold that office, serving until 1936.

Facts
Role
Lawyer, politician, and judge 1
Nationality / Jurisdiction
Australian 1
Born
1855 2
Birth Date
1855-08-06 2
Birthplace
Melbourne 2
Died
1948 2
Death Date
1948-02-11 2
Place of Death
Melbourne 2
Role
Role (category)
Judge 1
Role (category)
Lawyer 1
Role (category)
Politician 1
Classification
Field of Law
Constitutional Law 1
Gender
Male 1
FAQs

Why was Isaac Isaacs appointed Governor-General of Australia despite the King's opposition?

Australia's cabinet recommended Isaacs, and Prime Minister Scullin stood firm until King George V reluctantly approved.

Isaac Isaacs became the ninth Governor-General of Australia in 1931 after a dispute over who should choose the office-holder. According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, the Australian cabinet decided to recommend Isaacs, and Prime Minister James Scullin held to that choice. King George V was strongly opposed to the appointment because Isaacs was a local man, there had been no prior consultation, and he was elderly and personally unknown to the King. In an audience late in November, Scullin stood firm, and the King reluctantly approved. The announcement was made with a clear implication of the King's displeasure, and Isaacs then took up his duties with zest.
Connections

In Legal System

Source Isaac Isaacs (Wikipedia)

Member Of

Source Isaac Isaacs (Wikipedia)
In the Other Atlases

Nationality

Also in Geography Atlas: the nationality of this subject.

Source Isaac Isaacs (Wikipedia)tier 2
Sources
1. Isaac Isaacs (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia
  • Introduction, gender
    He was both the first Australian-born and the first Jewish Governor-General of Australia.
  • Introduction
    Sir Isaac Alfred Isaacs (6 August 1855 - 11 February 1948) was an Australian lawyer, politician, and judge who served as the ninth governor-general of Australia, in office from 1931 to 1936.
  • Full article, field of law
    He remained active in various causes for another decade and wrote frequently on matters of constitutional law.
  • Member Of: High Court of Australia, Lead section
    He had previously served on the High Court of Australia from 1906 to 1931, including as Chief Justice from 1930.
  • In Legal System: Australian Law, Wikipedia lead sentence
    was an Australian lawyer
View the Source
2. Wikidata: Isaac Isaacs
  • Wikidata Q1673410, P569 date of birth claim (year)
    P569 (date of birth): 1855
  • Wikidata Q1673410, P569 date of birth claim (full date)
    P569 (date of birth): 1855-08-06
  • Wikidata Q1673410, P570 date of death claim (year)
    P570 (date of death): 1948
  • Wikidata Q1673410, P570 date of death claim (full date)
    P570 (date of death): 1948-02-11
  • Wikidata Q1673410, P19 place of birth claim
    P19 (place of birth): Melbourne
  • Wikidata Q1673410, P20 place of death claim
    P20 (place of death): Melbourne
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.