Albert Piddington | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Justice of the High Court of Australia | |
| In office 6 March 1913 – 5 April 1913 | |
| Nominated by | Andrew Fisher |
| Preceded by | none |
| Succeeded by | Sir George Rich |
| Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 24 July 1895 – 27 July 1898 | |
| Preceded by | George Dibbs |
| Succeeded by | William Sawers |
| Constituency | Tamworth |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 September 1862 Bathurst, New South Wales Australia |
| Died | 5 June 1945 Mosman, New South Wales, Australia |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Ralph Piddington |
Albert Bathurst Piddington KC (9 September 1862 – 5 June 1945) was an Australian lawyer, politician and judge. He was a member of the High Court of Australia for one month in 1913, making him the shortest-serving judge in the court's history.
Piddington was born in Bathurst, New South Wales. He studied classics at the University of Sydney, and later combined his legal studies with teaching at Sydney Boys High School. Piddington was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1895, representing the Free Trade Party. He was defeated after a single term, and subsequently returned to his legal practice, becoming one of Sydney's best-known barristers. Piddington was sympathetic to the labour movement, and in April 1913 Andrew Fisher nominated him to the High Court as part of a court-packing attempt. His appointment was severely criticised, and he resigned a month later without ever sitting on the bench. Later in 1913, Piddington was made the inaugural chairman of the Inter-State Commission, serving until 1920. He was appointed King's Counsel in 1913, and remained a public figure into his seventies.