Sir François-Xavier Lemieux (April 9, 1851 – July 18, 1933), often referred to as F.X. Lemieux, was a

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

lawyer, judge and political figure. He represented Lévis in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1883 to 1892 and

Bonaventure Bonaventure ( ; it, Bonaventura ; la, Bonaventura de Balneoregio; 1221 – 15 July 1274), born Giovanni di Fidanza, was an Italian Catholic Franciscan, bishop, cardinal, scholastic theologian and philosopher. The seventh Minister G ...

from 1894 to 1897. Lemieux was also

Louis Riel Louis Riel (; ; 22 October 1844 – 16 November 1885) was a Canadian politician, a founder of the province of Manitoba, and a political leader of the Métis people. He led two resistance movements against the Government of Canada and its first ...

's lawyer in 1885. He was born at Lévis in 1851 and studied at the college there, at

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...

and the

Université Laval Université Laval is a public research university in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The university was founded by royal charter issued by Queen Victoria in 1852, with roots in the founding of the Séminaire de Québec in 1663 by François de Montmo ...

. He articled in law, was called to the Quebec bar in 1872 and became a successful criminal lawyer. In 1874, he married Diane, the daughter of judge

Marc-Aurèle Plamondon Marc-Aurèle Plamondon (16 October 1823 – 4 August 1900) was a Canadian lawyer, journalist, publisher, and judge. He was one of the founders of the Institut canadien de Montréal The Institut canadien de Montréal (English; Canadian Institut ...

. Lemieux was the head of Louis Riel's defence team, which included several other leading lawyers from eastern Canada, at his trial for

high treason Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...

in 1885. Some believe that Riel's lawyers may not have taken advantage of available options for avoiding the death penalty. The jury returned a verdict of guilty with a recommendation for mercy, but the death penalty was mandatory under the statute. Subsequent appeals of the verdict were dismissed and Riel was executed in November 1885. In 1892, Lemieux successfully defended

Honoré Mercier Honoré Mercier (October 15, 1840 – October 30, 1894) was a Canadian lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec. He was the ninth premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887, to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Libera ...

against a charge of having defrauded the public treasury. Lemieux was named bâtonnier for the Quebec bar in Quebec district in 1896 and for the province in 1896 and 1897. Lemieux had been reelected to the legislative assembly in both Lévis and Bonaventure in 1897, but resigned his seat when he was named judge in the Quebec Superior Court for Athabaska district. In 1915, he was named chief judge in the court. He was knighted in 1915. He died at Quebec City in 1933.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lemieux, Francois-Xavier 1851 births 1933 deaths Canadian Knights Bachelor Judges in Quebec Quebec Liberal Party MNAs Université Laval alumni