Ross Cranston
Encyclopedia
Sir Ross Frederick Cranston (born 23 July 1948 in Brisbane, Australia), styled The Hon. Mr Justice Cranston, is a High Court judge, formerly an academic lawyer and Labour Party
politician, in the United Kingdom
.
in 1969 and an LLB
in 1970. From the Harvard Law School
, he gained an LLM
in 1973. From Oxford University, he gained a DPhil
in 1976 and much later a DCL
in 1998. He became a barrister at Gray's Inn
in 1976.
Cranston was a professor at the LSE
from 1992-7 and the holder of the Cassell Chair in Commercial Law from 1993 to 1997. Before that he held academic posts in the UK and Australia and the Sir John Lubbock chair in Banking Law at QMW, being a professor of Law at Queen Mary and Westfield College
from 1986-91.
in 1992. He was elected as Member of Parliament
for Dudley North
at the 1997 general election
with more than half of the votes, and served as Solicitor General
from 1998 to 2001, when he returned to the back benches. After speculation amongst colleagues, he announced in 2005 that he would not stand for Parliament
again in the 2005 election
. He was succeeded by Ian Austin.
He was appointed as a High Court judge in October 2007, assigned to the Queen's Bench Division.
On 14 December 2007, sitting in the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, Cranston (together with Mr Justice Cooke) heard an appeal against sentence by a woman who had pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving, and other matters. Having stolen goods from a Tesco store she had driven her car straight at a security guard, who jumped onto the bonnet to avoid being hit. The appellant had screamed at him to get off, saying she would otherwise kill him. He eventually jumped off. A police car, its lights blazing and sirens switched on, pursued the appellant out of Leamington as she failed to stop. She was ultimately stopped by another police car blocking a slip-road. The sentencing judge had concluded that her actions were "deliberate, sustained and highly dangerous".
Cranston described this conduct as "a bad case of dangerous driving but not the worst", and reduced the judge's sentence of 15 months imprisonment to one of 9 months.
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
politician, in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Early life
He attended Wavell State High School in Brisbane, Queensland. He was later a student at the University of Queensland where he was awarded a BABachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1969 and an LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
in 1970. From the Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, he gained an LLM
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
in 1973. From Oxford University, he gained a DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in 1976 and much later a DCL
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
in 1998. He became a barrister at Gray's Inn
Gray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1976.
Cranston was a professor at the LSE
London School of Economics
The London School of Economics and Political Science is a public research university specialised in the social sciences located in London, United Kingdom, and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
from 1992-7 and the holder of the Cassell Chair in Commercial Law from 1993 to 1997. Before that he held academic posts in the UK and Australia and the Sir John Lubbock chair in Banking Law at QMW, being a professor of Law at Queen Mary and Westfield College
Queen Mary, University of London
Queen Mary, University of London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London...
from 1986-91.
Parliamentary career
He contested Richmond (Yorks)Richmond (Yorks) (UK Parliament constituency)
Richmond is a constituency located in North Yorkshire, which elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
in 1992. He was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Dudley North
Dudley North (UK Parliament constituency)
Dudley North is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
at the 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
with more than half of the votes, and served as Solicitor General
Solicitor General for England and Wales
Her Majesty's Solicitor General for England and Wales, often known as the Solicitor General, is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Attorney General, whose duty is to advise the Crown and Cabinet on the law...
from 1998 to 2001, when he returned to the back benches. After speculation amongst colleagues, he announced in 2005 that he would not stand for Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
again in the 2005 election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
. He was succeeded by Ian Austin.
Law career
He was the Centennial Professor of Law at the LSE from 2005 to 2007.He was appointed as a High Court judge in October 2007, assigned to the Queen's Bench Division.
On 14 December 2007, sitting in the Court of Appeal, Criminal Division, Cranston (together with Mr Justice Cooke) heard an appeal against sentence by a woman who had pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving, and other matters. Having stolen goods from a Tesco store she had driven her car straight at a security guard, who jumped onto the bonnet to avoid being hit. The appellant had screamed at him to get off, saying she would otherwise kill him. He eventually jumped off. A police car, its lights blazing and sirens switched on, pursued the appellant out of Leamington as she failed to stop. She was ultimately stopped by another police car blocking a slip-road. The sentencing judge had concluded that her actions were "deliberate, sustained and highly dangerous".
Cranston described this conduct as "a bad case of dangerous driving but not the worst", and reduced the judge's sentence of 15 months imprisonment to one of 9 months.