Louis Heydon

Louis Francis Heydon (23 April 1848 – 17 May 1918) was a politician and solicitor in New South Wales, Australia and was Minister of Justice for six weeks 1885 to 1886.

[6] In 1884 Heydon was part of a land reform conference, which included Paddy Crick, Edward O'Sullivan and Adolphus Taylor to "establish a political organisation of the agricultural, mining, and working classes of New South Wales, in order to initiate a more liberal and progressive policy for the colony", a protectionist party that became known as the Land and Industrial Alliance.

[3][2] In December 1885 he was appointed Minister for Justice in the fifth Robertson ministry, but resigned 44 days later because he disagreed with the suggested property tax.

The small majority of twenty-six to twenty-one, by which the third reading of the bill was carried, would, certainly, in my opinion, have been reversed, and the bill have been rejected by a much larger majority against it but for the extreme enthusiasm and devotion to the measure shown by the member who introduced it, and his warm, personal canvas, and persevering solicitations of honorable members, coupled with his great influence and high position as Lieutenant-Governor of the colony.

As he couldn't represent both plaintiff and defendants, Heydon referred them to five different solicitors, with an agreement that he would receive a percentage of the costs they were paid.

The trial judge, A. H. Simpson, stated that the practice was indefensible and ordered that Heydon pay the money to the plaintiff, plus costs.