James Montagu (judge)

Sir James Montagu (2 February 1666 – 1723), of the Middle Temple, London, was an English lawyer and Whig politician, who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1695 and 1713.

He was educated at Westminster School and was admitted at Trinity College, Cambridge and Middle Temple in 1683.

[2] At the 1695 English general election Montagu was returned in a contest as Member of Parliament for Tregony.

By 1698 he was counsel for Cambridge University when he was awarded MA and was also appointed chief justice of Ely.

In 1704 he successfully defended John Tutchin, indicted for a libel published in his periodical, The Observator, and two years later he was leading counsel in the prosecution of Beau Fielding for bigamy in marrying the Duchess of Cleveland.

[2] Montagu was next returned to Parliament as MP for Carlisle after a contest at the 1705 English general election.

In this motion, Colonel Gledhill represented it as intended to defray the expenses of Montagu's election at Carlisle, but the charge was disproved.