Sir George Brian Hugh Dillon (2 October 1925 – 22 June 2003) was a British lawyer and judge who served as a

Lord Justice of Appeal A Lord Justice of Appeal or Lady Justice of Appeal is a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, the Crown Court and other courts and tribunals. A Lord (or Lady) Justice ...

from 1982 to 1994.

Biography

Dillon was born in a naval family, the son of Captain George Crozier Dillon, RN, and the grandson of an admiral. He was educated at

Winchester College Winchester College is a public school (fee-charging independent day and boarding school) in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It was founded by William of Wykeham in 1382 and has existed in its present location ever since. It is the oldest of the ...

, where he was a scholar, before proceeding to

New College, Oxford New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as its feeder school, New College is one of the oldest colleges at th ...

, also as a scholar. Initially reading Classics, he switched to law, before joining the

Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

in 1943, training at HMS ''Ganges'' before serving in the Far East abroad the destroyer HMS ''Tyrian''. Returning to Oxford after the war, he was

called to the bar The call to the bar is a legal term of art in most common law jurisdictions where persons must be qualified to be allowed to argue in court on behalf of another party and are then said to have been "called to the bar" or to have received "call to ...

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of the four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. (The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn.) Lincoln ...

in 1948, and acquired a "huge practice" at the Chancery bar. He

took silk In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of a queen, is a lawyer (usually a barrister or ...

in 1965 and became head of chambers. He was appointed a judge of the

High Court of Justice The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cou ...

, in 1979, assigned to the

Chancery Division The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...

and received the customary knighthood. He was promoted to the

Court of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...

in 1982, and was sworn of the

Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

. He retired in 1994.

Family

Dillon married Alison Lane in 1954; they had two sons and two daughters.

Selected judgments

Lord Justice Dillon's reported cases include: *'' Notcutt v Universal Equipment Co (London) Ltd''

986 Year 986 (Roman numerals, CMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * August 17 – Battle of the Gates of Trajan: Emperor Basil ...

ICR 414 *'' R & B Customs Brokers Co Ltd v United Dominions Trust Ltd'' 9881 WLR 321 *''

Interfoto Picture Library Ltd v Stiletto Visual Programmes Ltd ''Interfoto Picture Library Ltd v Stiletto Visual Programmes Ltd'' [1987EWCA Civ 6is an English contract law case on onerous clauses and the rule of common law that reasonable notice of them must be given to a contracting party in order that they ...

'' [1989] QB 433 *''Hunter v Moss''

994 Year 994 ( CMXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * September 15 – Battle of the Orontes: Fatimid forces, under Turkish gener ...

1 WLR 452 *''Vaughan v Barlow Clowes International Ltd'' [1991] EWCA Civ 11 -

English trusts law English trust law concerns the protection of assets, usually when they are held by one party for another's benefit. Trusts were a creation of the English law of property and obligations, and share a subsequent history with countries across the ...

, concerning tracing (law), tracing *''Powdrill v Watson'' *''

Re Sevenoaks Stationers (Retail) Ltd ''Re Sevenoaks Stationers (Retail) Ltd'' 991Ch 164 is a UK company law case concerning the test of being unfit to run a company under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 section 6. Facts Mr Cruddas was a chartered accountant and dir ...

'' *''

Harris v Goddard ''Harris v Goddard'' 9833 All ER 242 is an English land law and matrimonial law case, concerning co-owned land between spouses and finding as to the effect of a divorce petition. Facts Mr. Harris and Mrs. Harris, joint tenants, fell out, she pe ...

'' *''

Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd v Homan ''Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd v Homan'' 994EWCA Civ 33is an English trusts law case about whether a beneficiary whose fiduciary breaches trust, may trace assets through an overdrawn account to its destination. Facts Mr Homan, a PriceW ...

EWCA Civ 33 -

, whether a beneficiary whose fiduciary breaches trust, may trace assets through an overdrawn account to its destination. *''

Abbey National Building Society v Cann is an English land law case concerning the right of a person with an equitable interest in a home to remain in actual occupation, if a bank has a charge and is seeking repossession. A controversial decision, it held that "actual occupation" enta ...

'' *''

Multinational Gas and Petrochemical Co v Multinational Gas and Petrochemical Services Ltd ''Multinational Gas and Petrochemical Co v Multinational Gas and Petrochemical Services Ltd'' 983Ch 258 is a leading United Kingdom company law case relating to directors' liability. The case is the principal authority for the proposition that ...

'' *'' Alec Lobb (Garages) Ltd v Total Oil (GB) Ltd'' *'' Fitzpatrick v British Railways Board''

992 Year 992 ( CMXCII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Worldwide * Winter – A superflare from the sun causes an Aurora Borealis, with visibility as fa ...

ICR 221,

IRLR 376 -

UK labour law United Kingdom labour law regulates the relations between workers, employers and trade unions. People at work in the UK can rely upon a minimum charter of employment rights, which are found in Acts of Parliament, Regulations, common law and equit ...

, concerning

collective bargaining Collective bargaining is a process of negotiation between employers and a group of employees aimed at agreements to regulate working salaries, working conditions, benefits, and other aspects of workers' compensation and rights for workers. The i ...

*''

Nestle v National Westminster Bank plc ''Nestle v National Westminster Bank plc'' 992EWCA Civ 12is an English trusts law case concerning the duty of care when a trustee is making an investment. Facts A testator died in 1922 and named his widow, two sons and wives and one grandchild ...

EWCA Civ 12,

993 Year 993 ( CMXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Spring – The 12-year-old King Otto III gives the Sword of Saints Cosmas and Damian ...

1 WLR 1260 -

case concerning the

duty of care In tort law, a duty of care is a legal obligation that is imposed on an individual, requiring adherence to a standard of reasonable care while performing any acts that could foreseeably harm others. It is the first element that must be establis ...

when a trustee is making an investment.

Footnotes

References

Obituary - ''Daily Telegraph''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dillon, Brian 20th-century English judges 1925 births 2003 deaths Alumni of New College, Oxford People educated at Sandroyd School People educated at Winchester College Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Knights Bachelor Lords Justices of Appeal Chancery Division judges Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II