Sir David Falconer of

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(1640 Edinburgh,

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, 15 December 1685) was a Scottish judge.

Biography

He was the second son of Sir David Falconer of Glenfarquhar, one of the Commissaries of Edinburgh, and the former Margaret

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, and younger brother of Sir Alexander Falconer of Glenfarquhar. His paternal grandfather was a brother of Sir Alexander Falconer, the 1st Lord Falconer of Halkerton. He studied Law under his father, and having passed

advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. Different countries' legal systems use the term with somewhat differing meanings. The broad equivalent in many English law–based jurisdictions could be a barrister or a solicitor. However, ...

on 3 July 1661, was afterwards appointed one of the commissaries of Edinburgh, and was knighted. On 24 May 1676, he was nominated a Lord of Session, and on 2 March 1678, was admitted a Lord of Justiciary. On 5 June 1682, he was appointed Lord President of the Court of Session, and in the parliament of 1685 he represented the County of Forfar. He was elected a Lord of the Articles, and a member of three commissions then appointed; one for trade, another for the plantation of kirks, and a third for the regulation of inferior judicatories. Falconer collected the decisions of the

Court of Session The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland and constitutes part of the College of Justice; the supreme criminal court of Scotland is the High Court of Justiciary. The Court of Session sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh ...

from November 1681 to 9 December 1685, when he ceased to sit in court. They were published in 1705 by John Spottiswood. He died at Edinburgh, after a short illness, on 15 December 1685, and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkyard,Monuments and monumental inscriptions in Scotland: The Grampian Society, 1871 where a monument was erected to his memory. The monument stands on the outer north-east corner of the church. Sir Alexander, second baronet and fourth lord, died without issue, 17th March 1727, when the baronetcy is presumed to have become extinct. By his wife Anne, (only child of John, 9th Lord Lindsay of the Byres) he had a daughter Agnes (She married

George Ogilvy, 2nd Lord Banff George Ogilvy, 2nd Lord Banff (died March 1668) was member of the old Scottish Parliament, a feudal baron, and a Cavalier. Family The son of Sir George Ogilvy, 1st Lord Banff, and 1st Baronet (1627), by his spouse Janet, daughter of William S ...

). The title of 5th Lord Falconer of Halkertoun devolved on David Falconer A son named Alexander. His daughter, Catherine Falconer, married Joseph

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Chirnside Chirnside is a hillside village in Berwickshire, Scotland, west of Berwick-upon-Tweed and east of Duns. Church The parish church at Chirnside dates from the 12th century. It was substantially rebuilt in 1878 and extensively restored and a ...

in the County of Berwick, an advocate of Ninewells, and was the mother of David Hume the philosopher and historian.

References

* * ''The Scottish Nation, or the Surnames, Families, Literature, Honours and Biographical History of The People of Scotland'', William Anderson, 1863 {{DEFAULTSORT:Falconer, David 1640 births 1685 deaths Senators of the College of Justice Lords President of the Court of Session Place of birth missing Date of birth unknown Shire Commissioners to the Parliament of Scotland Members of the Parliament of Scotland 1685–1686 Burials at Greyfriars Kirkyard