'The Lives of the Australian Chief Justices' J.M. Bennett. The Federation Press. Sydney: 'Sir Francis Forbes' (2001) ISBN 1 86287 408 5; 'Sir James Dowling (2001) ISBN 1 86287 391 7; 'Sir William a’Beckett' (2001) ISBN 1 86287 409 3; 'Sir Charles Cooper' (2002) ISBN 1 86287 442 5; 'Sir Archibald Burt' (2002) ISBN 1 86287 438 7; 'Sir John Pedder' (2003) ISBN 1 86287 482 4; 'Sir James Cockle' (2003) ISBN 1 86287 485 9. Hardback. Aus$45 individually.

Abstract

It is a tall order to attempt to write a biography of an early judicial personage in colonial Australia. To attempt to write biographies of all of the first Chief Justices of the Australian state would be a task beyond anyone except the distinguished Australian legal historian J.M. Bennett. The author has unparalleled experience in writing about the early judiciary and legal profession in Australia and he brings his experience to this immense undertaking. It comes as no surprise to learn that the initial idea for the project dates to the late 1960s, for the research that has gone into each volume is self-evident. What has resulted thus far (two more biographies have been published since the reviewer began his task) is a story of colonial judges written by a sympathetic but, by large, impartial judicial observer. This is history from the inside, none the worse for being so.