Background
McQueen was born on 4 May 1722, near Lanark, son of John McQueen of Braxfield.
McQueen was born on 4 May 1722, near Lanark, son of John McQueen of Braxfield.
He studied in Edinburgh and was admitted to the Faculty of Advocates in 1744.
In 1759 he was appointed an Advocate Depute appearing for the Crown in prosecutions. He often appeared in more than 15 cases per day and earned £1900 in a single year. He became a judge in 1776 and took the title Lord Braxfield.
In 1788 he became Lord Justice Clerk, the leading judge in Scotland.
A famous quote of his in this respect was "Let them bring me prisoners, and I will find them law"
He died in Street George"s Square, Edinburgh, on 30 May 1799, aged 77, and was buried at Lanark on 5 June. Robert Dundas, who died on 5 August 1816,
John, captain in the 28th regiment of foot, who died on 2 February 1837,
Mary, who married in 1777 Sir William Honyman, Lord Armadale,
Katherine, who married John Macdonald, chief of Clanranald, in 1786.
Braxfield married, secondly, Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Ord, lord chief baron of the exchequer in Scotland, by whom he had no issue. Sir Henry Raeburn painted his portrait shortly before his death.
Braxfield has a notoriety in Scotland, due to the harsh way that he dealt with those who appeared before him, most famously in telling a defendant that "Ye"re a vera clever chiel, man, but ye wad be nane the waur o" a hanging".
In a recent survey of Scottish historians, Braxfield was identified as one of the "vilest villains" in Scotland"s history. He is thought to be the model for the judge in Robert Louis Stevenson"s unfinished novel Weir of Hermiston.
Faculty of Advocates.