He served as Chief Justice of the Irish Common Pleas for more than twenty years, despite repeated calls for his removal on the grounds of age and ill health.
Robert was born at the end of the 15th century,[b] the third son of Sir James Dillon of Riverstown, County Meath, and his wife Elizabeth Bathe.
Robert was "bred to the law": Sir Bartholomew Dillon, Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, was his elder brother.
[4] The confusion is understandable since their judicial careers overlapped to a large degree, and as Kenny (1992) points out the records of the King's Inns for the relevant period do not always make it clear which Robert Dillon is being referred to.
They were successful in the short run, but Dillon, like Barnewall, quickly dropped his opposition to the suppression and was duly rewarded with his share in the spoils.
[25] Sidney's ally Sir William Gerard, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland, referred to Dillon as a "scarecrow", and lobbied strongly for his removal from office.