John Hope

Who was John Hope?

John Hope, Scottish judge, eldest son of Charles Hope, Lord President of the Court of Session, was born on 26 May 1794, and received some part of his education at the High School of Edinburgh.

He was admitted an advocate on 23 November 1810. When Rae became Lord Advocate, he was appointed one of his deputes. On 25 June 1822, James Abercromby unsuccessfully moved in the House of Commons for the appointment of a committee of inquiry into the conduct of the Lord Advocate and the other law officers of the crown in Scotland in relation to the public press. Hope sent Abercromby a letter of protest, and was summoned to attend the house. He was heard at the bar in his own defence on 17 July following, but though it was unanimously agreed that he had been guilty of a breach of the privileges of the house, no further proceedings were taken in the matter.

On the death of James Wedderburn in November of the same year, Hope was appointed by Lord Liverpool Solicitor General for Scotland, a post which he held until the formation of Lord Grey's ministry in 1830, when he was succeeded by Henry Cockburn.