Kenneth Jacobs
Encyclopedia
Sir Kenneth Sydney Jacobs KBE
(born 5 October 1917), Australia
n judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia
.
Jacobs was born in 1917 in Gordon
, a suburb of Sydney
, New South Wales
. He was educated at Knox Grammar School
, and later studied at the University of Sydney
, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1938.
During World War II
, from 1940 to 1945, Jacobs served in the Second Australian Imperial Force
. He enlisted in Paddington
in 1939, and remained in the service until 1948. Following his return from the war, Jacobs returned to the University of Sydney where he completed a Bachelor of Laws degree, winning the university's Medal for Law in 1946, and gradutating in 1947. Later that year, Jacobs was admitted to the New South Wales Bar, where he practised as a barrister
, and in 1958 he was made a Queen's Counsel
.
In 1960 Jacobs was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
. In 1963, Jacobs was selected to serve a three-year term in Cyprus
as the neutral presiding judge of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Cyprus, which was to be established following attempts to establish a constitution. However, following a period of civil unrest on 21 and 22 December 1963, the constitutional arrangements collapsed, and the court was never created. In 1966 Jacobs was elevated to the Court of Appeal of New South Wales
. From 1972, Jacobs was President of the Court of Appeal. Jacobs was appointed to the bench of the High Court on 8 February 1974. He was selected by Prime Minister
Gough Whitlam
and Attorney-General
Lionel Murphy
, and was thus the first High Court Justice to be appointed by a Labor
government since William Webb in 1946. Murphy, who was himself appointed to the High Court the following year, praised Jacobs for humanitarianism and his excellent legal scholarship.
Jacobs was made a Knight of the British Empire
in 1976. He retired from the High Court on 6 April 1979. On 19 July, Jacobs was granted life membership of the New South Wales Bar.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 5 October 1917), Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n judge, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia
High Court of Australia
The High Court of Australia is the supreme court in the Australian court hierarchy and the final court of appeal in Australia. It has both original and appellate jurisdiction, has the power of judicial review over laws passed by the Parliament of Australia and the parliaments of the States, and...
.
Jacobs was born in 1917 in Gordon
Gordon, New South Wales
Gordon is a suburb on the Upper North Shore of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Gordon is located north-west of the Sydney Central Business District and is the administrative centre for the local government area of Ku-ring-gai Council...
, a suburb of Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. He was educated at Knox Grammar School
Knox Grammar School
Knox Grammar School is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Wahroonga, an upper North Shore suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, and later studied at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1938.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, from 1940 to 1945, Jacobs served in the Second Australian Imperial Force
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force was the name given to the volunteer personnel of the Australian Army in World War II. Under the Defence Act , neither the part-time Militia nor the full-time Permanent Military Force could serve outside Australia or its territories unless they volunteered to...
. He enlisted in Paddington
Paddington, New South Wales
Paddington is an inner-city, eastern suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Paddington is located 3 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Sydney and the Municipality of Woollahra...
in 1939, and remained in the service until 1948. Following his return from the war, Jacobs returned to the University of Sydney where he completed a Bachelor of Laws degree, winning the university's Medal for Law in 1946, and gradutating in 1947. Later that year, Jacobs was admitted to the New South Wales Bar, where he practised as a 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 in 1958 he was made 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 1960 Jacobs was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales
Supreme Court of New South Wales
The Supreme Court of New South Wales is the highest state court of the Australian State of New South Wales...
. In 1963, Jacobs was selected to serve a three-year term in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
as the neutral presiding judge of the Supreme Constitutional Court of Cyprus, which was to be established following attempts to establish a constitution. However, following a period of civil unrest on 21 and 22 December 1963, the constitutional arrangements collapsed, and the court was never created. In 1966 Jacobs was elevated to the Court of Appeal of New South Wales
Court of Appeal of New South Wales
The New South Wales Court of Appeal is the highest civil state court for the Australian State of New South Wales. It forms part of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.-History:...
. From 1972, Jacobs was President of the Court of Appeal. Jacobs was appointed to the bench of the High Court on 8 February 1974. He was selected by Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Gough Whitlam
Gough Whitlam
Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...
and Attorney-General
Attorney-General of Australia
The Attorney-General of Australia is the first law officer of the Crown, chief law officer of the Commonwealth of Australia and a minister of the Crown. The Attorney-General is usually a member of the Federal Cabinet, but there is no constitutional requirement that this be the case since the...
Lionel Murphy
Lionel Murphy
Lionel Keith Murphy, QC was an Australian politician and jurist who served as Attorney-General in the government of Gough Whitlam and as a Justice of the High Court of Australia from 1975 until his death.- Personal life :...
, and was thus the first High Court Justice to be appointed by a Labor
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
government since William Webb in 1946. Murphy, who was himself appointed to the High Court the following year, praised Jacobs for humanitarianism and his excellent legal scholarship.
Jacobs was made a Knight of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1976. He retired from the High Court on 6 April 1979. On 19 July, Jacobs was granted life membership of the New South Wales Bar.