Sir George Brian Hugh Dillon, PC (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) Just ...

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 an English Public school (United Kingdom), public school (a long-established fee-charging boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) with some provision for day school, day attendees, in Winchester, Hampshire, England. It wa ...

, where he was a scholar, before proceeding to

New College, Oxford New College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1379 by Bishop William of Wykeham in conjunction with Winchester College as New College's feeder school, New College was one of the first col ...

, 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 or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Roya ...

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, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

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

took silk A King's Counsel ( post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarch is a woman, the title is Qu ...

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 (England and Wales), Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cour ...

, 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 An appellate court, commonly called a court of appeal(s), appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to Hearing (law), hear a Legal case, case upon appeal from a trial court or other ...

in 1982, and was sworn of the Privy Council. 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'' 986ICR 414 *'' R & B Customs Brokers Co Ltd v United Dominions Trust Ltd''

988 Year 988 ( CMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Fall – Emperor Basil II, supported by a contingent of 6,000 Varangians (the future Varangian Guard), organiz ...

1 WLR 321 *'' Interfoto Picture Library Ltd v Stiletto Visual Programmes Ltd''

989 Year 989 ( CMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Emperor Basil II uses his contingent of 6,000 Varangians to help him defeat Bardas Phokas (the Younger), who suffe ...

QB 433 *''

Hunter v Moss ''Hunter v Moss'' 994 1 WLR 452 is an English trusts law case from the Court of Appeal concerning the certainty of subject matter necessary to form a trust. Moss promised Hunter 50 shares in his company as part of an employment contract, but fa ...

994 Year 994 ( CMXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * September 15 – Battle of the Orontes: Fatimid forces, under Turkish general Manjutakin (also the governor ...

1 WLR 452 *'' Vaughan v Barlow Clowes International Ltd''

991 Year 991 (Roman numerals, CMXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar. Events * March 1: In Rouen, Pope John XV ratifies the first Peace and Truce of God, Truce of God, between Æthelred the Unready and Richard I o ...

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. Trust law, Trusts were a creation of the English law of English property law, property and English contract law, obligations, a ...

, concerning 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 dire ...

'' *'' Harris v Goddard'' *'' Bishopsgate Investment Management Ltd v Homan''

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'' *''

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 of the Julian calendar. Events By place Worldwide * Winter – A superflare from the sun causes an Aurora Borealis, with visibility as far south as Germany and Korea. Euro ...

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 have a minimum set of employment rights, from Acts of Parliament, Regulations, common law and equity (legal concept), equity. ...

, 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 labour rights, rights for ...

*'' Nestle v National Westminster Bank plc''

EWCA Civ 12,

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

1 WLR 1260 -

case concerning the

duty of care In Tort, tort law, a duty of care is a legal Law of obligations, obligation that is imposed on an individual, requiring adherence to a standard of care, standard of Reasonable person, reasonable care to avoid careless acts that could foreseeab ...

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 Lord justices of appeal Chancery Division judges Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II