Bell, GEORGE JOSEPH

Bell, GEORGE JOSEPH, an eminent lawyer, a brother of Sir Charles, was born at Edinburgh, 26th March 1770, and passed advocate in 1791. Acknowledged one of the greatest masters of commercial jurisprudence of his time, and in particular of that department of it which relates to the laws of bankruptcy, he was in 1822 appointed professor of Scots Law in Edinburgh University, and in 1823 a member of the commission for inquiring into Scottish judicial proceedings. On the report, drawn up by Bell, was founded the Scottish Judicature Act (1825), prepared by him, which effected many important changes in the forms of process in the superior courts of Scotland; the jury court being abolished as a separate judicature, and conjoined with the Court of Session. Appointed in 1832 one of the clerks of the Court of Session, he was in 1833 chairman of the Royal Commission to examine into the state of the law in general. He also prepared a bill for the establishment of a Court of Bankruptcy in Scotland. A Whig in politics, he was intimate with Lord Jeffrey; he was genial and courteous in manner, and possessed considerable culture. He died 23d September 1843. His principal works are: A Treatise on the Laws of Bankruptcy in Scotland (1804), and Commentaries on the Laws of Scotland, which soon ranked with Stair's Institutes as a standard authority (1810; 7th ed. 1870); Principles of the Law of Scotland (1829; 6th ed. 1872); and Commentaries on Statutes relative to Mercantile Bankruptcy (1840).