James William Best

James William Best (14 March 1840 – 14 October 1916) was a British Indian judge and Chief Judge of the erstwhile High Court of Mysore.

Career Best was born at Madras in British India. He was the son of the Reverend James Kershaw Best, a missionary. He was educated at Wimborne Grammar School and Inner Temple. Thereafeter Best entered the Indian Civil Service in 1861. He served in several administrative branch including Judicial Department of the Madras Presidency. Best was appointed as judge of the Madras High Court in 1893. On 4 November 1895, he became the Chief Judge of Mysore High Court, under the princely state of Mysore. He later travelled to Australia and died in Sydney, New South Wales, in 1916.