# Meigh Goodman > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Meigh_Goodman > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Meigh_Goodman.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigh_Goodman > Source revision: 1284710844 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Chief Justice of Hong Kong Sir W. Meigh Goodman Sir W. Meigh Goodman, Chief Justice of Hong Kong Born 1847 Died 3 May 1928(1928-05-03) (aged 80–81) Alma mater University College of London Occupations Lawyer, Chief Justice **Sir William Meigh Goodman** [KC](/source/King's_Counsel) (1847 – 3 May 1928) was a British lawyer and Judge. He served as Attorney General and Chief Justice of [British Honduras](/source/British_Honduras) and Hong Kong in the late 19th and early 20th Century. His last position before retirement was as [Chief Justice of Hong Kong](/source/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_Hong_Kong). ## Early life Goodman was born in 1847 and was the fourth son of Samuel Robert Goodman, of London. Goodman was educated at [University College of London](/source/University_College_of_London) where he obtained a B.A.(hons) in 1867. He was called to the Bar at the [Middle Temple](/source/Middle_Temple) in 1870.[1] He practised on the South Eastern Circuit and at the Surrey Sessions.[2]: 412n ## Career Goodman served as [Attorney General](/source/Attorney_General) of [British Honduras](/source/British_Honduras) (now Belize) from 1883 to 1886 and as [Chief Justice](/source/Chief_Justice) of the same colony from 1886 to 1889. In 1886, he was commissioned to revise and consolidate the laws of British Honduras.[2]: 412n In 1889, Goodman was appointed [Attorney-General](/source/Attorney_General_of_Hong_Kong) and Admiralty Advocate of Hong Kong, taking up his post upon arrival on the *City of Rio de Janeiro* on 15 March of the next year. He was the first attorney-general of Hong Kong required to forego private practice.[2]: 416 He served as acting Chief Justice from 6 March to 7 August 1895, during the absence of Sir [Fielding Clarke](/source/Fielding_Clarke), and for another four months in 1896 after the latter's retirement[2]: 460, 467, 476, 478 and was appointed a [Queen's Counsel](/source/Queen's_Counsel) in 1900.[3] In March 1902, he was appointed [Chief Justice of Hong Kong](/source/Chief_Justice_of_the_Supreme_Court_of_Hong_Kong)[4] and led the court until 1905.[5] He was appointed a [Knight Bachelor](/source/Knight_Bachelor) in the November [1902 Birthday Honours](/source/1902_Birthday_Honours),[6] and received the dignity on 9 December 1902.[7] In 1903 he presided over the laying of the foundation stone for the new Hong Kong Supreme Court building.[8] ## Personal life After the loss of his wife to a brief illness on 22 May 1890, Goodman took a leave of absence from 8 July until 7 January the next year.[2]: 421, 427 He retired to England in 1905 and, in 1907, his book *Reminiscences of a Colonial Judge* was published. Though going by his second given name, he used the initial W on official documents. He died on 3 May 1928 at the age of 81.[9] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [*The county families of the United Kingdom*](https://archive.org/details/countyfamiliesof59walf/page/n573/mode/1up) (59 ed.). Ballantyne & Co. 1919. p. 546. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kyshe_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kyshe_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Kyshe_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Kyshe_2-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Kyshe_2-4) Norton-Kyshe, James William (1898). *History of the Laws and Courts of Hong Kong, vol. II*. London: T Fisher Unwin. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** London Gazette, 26 June 1900, p3963. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["No. 27415"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27415/page/1727). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 11 March 1902. p. 1727. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** The County Families of UK, op cit 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** "Birthday Honours". *The Times*. No. 36921. London. 10 November 1902. p. 10. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["No. 27502"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27502/page/8509). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 9 December 1902. p. 8509. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** W Goodman, Reminiscences of a Colonial Judge, p. 306. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Obituary, [Straits Times](/source/The_Straits_Times), 10 July 1928, p7. Legal offices Preceded by Sir John W Carrington Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong 1902–1905 Succeeded by Sir Francis T Piggott --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Meigh Goodman](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigh_Goodman) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meigh_Goodman?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.