Solicitor-General of New Ingerland
| Solicitor-General of New Ingerland | |
|---|---|
| Style | Mister Solicitor |
| Nominator | Judicial Appointments Commission |
| Appointer | Geoffrey VII |
| Term length | At His Majesty's pleasure |
| Inaugural | Sir Cosmo Glover |
| Formation | 1 April 1842 |
| Salary | 11,860 |
The Solicitor-General of New Ingerland 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 all matters pertaining to application of the law in New Ingerland. The current Solicitor-General of New Ingerland is the Honourable Henry Crawford-Pearson KC.
History
Background and formation
The origins of the office of Solicitor-General in Ingerland appear to date back well in to the mediaeval period.
The New Ingerland office can be traced to 1842, when the Attorney-General, Sir Marcus Dodds, advised that some changes were necessary in the interests of the Crown and of justice in the fledgling kingdom. Dodds recommended to the King that a second senior law officer was required to carry out a range of duties that he could discharge alone. The Executive Council agreed, and approved the appointment of a Solicitor-General to commence work on the same day the Court of Appeal was established.
Function and role
The duties of the Solicitor-General are twofold. First, he is the senior legal adviser to the Government of New Ingerland on all matters pertaining to the administration and application of the law in New Ingerland. Secondly, he may also be called upon to represent the interests of the Government in significant legal proceedings where the government is party to the proceedings. The Solicitor-General is not responsible to the Parliament (unlike the Attorney-General who is a constitutional officer and is accountable to the legislature), and is instead required to report to the Attorney-General only.
The Solicitor-General is appointed by The Sovereign on the advice of the Judicial Appointments Commission. Although he is expected to work closely with the incumbent government of the day, the position is considered to be largely non-political, and many Solicitors-General have happily served under a government of the differing political persuasion. Unlike the Attorney-General, the Solicitor-General is never a member of the Senate of New Ingerland or House of Assembly.
Despite the title of Solicitor-General, the importance of the position means that it has always been held by a barrister who is also a King's Counsel.