Richard Stephens

Sir Richard Stephens (c. 1630–1692) was an Irish barrister, politician and judge of the seventeenth century. He was a highly successful lawyer, who made a fortune at the Bar, but his judicial career was hampered by his unorthodox religious and political views. He became Serjeant-at-law (Ireland) under King Charles II, but was dismissed from office after only two years. He was in political disgrace during the following reign. After the Glorious Revolution he was appointed to the Irish High Court bench, but he died only two years later.

Early years

He was born in Wexford, the son of Richard Stephens senior. He entered Lincoln's Inn in 1658 and the King's Inn in 1663. He became one of the most successful practitioners at the Irish Bar, and was made Recorder of Waterford and Clonmel. In 1665 he was elected to the Irish House of Commons as member for Ardee, after the expulsion of the previous member, John Chambers. At that time several Irish judges and Law Officers, who were aware of the King's own leaning towards the Roman Catholic religion, openly admitted their own Catholic beliefs, even though Irish office holders were in theory disqualified if they admitted to practising that faith. The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, although himself a staunch Anglican, had pursued a policy of unofficial religious toleration towards Roman Catholics. made Stephens's position precarious. Ormonde was noted for his deep-seated loyalty to his friends, who included most of the Irish judiciary, but he seems to have disliked Stephens. Stephens was dismissed from the office of King's Serjeant late in 1682 at Ormonde's request, on the grounds that he was a "fanatic", i.e. a non-conforming Protestant (Ormonde's policy of religious tolerance clearly had limits).

Stephens complained bitterly that he had lost £1000 a year as a result of his dismissal from office: although the nominal salary of a Serjeant was fixed a few years later at £30 a year, there is a good deal of evidence that the perquisites of the office brought the actual income up to roughly the figure which Stephens mentioned, although the matter is complicated by the fact that a Serjeant could also continue with his private practice. Stephens may have derived some ironic amusement from the fiasco which followed his removal, as no less than three candidates- William Beckett, Sir Richard Ryves and Sir John Lyndon- claimed that they had been promised his job.

After James' downfall, he was restored to his old office of Second Serjeant. He continued to reside mainly in England: although he was appointed a justice of the Court of King's Bench (Ireland) in 1690, he did not sit regularly as a judge, possibly due to failing health. He died in 1692.