puisne

American  

[pyoo-nee] / ˈpyu ni /

adjective

1. Law. younger; inferior in rank; junior, as in appointment.

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noun

1. an associate judge as distinguished from a chief justice.

puisne British  

/ ˈpjuːnɪ /

adjective

1. (esp of a subordinate judge) of lower rank

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Etymology

Origin of puisne

1590–1600; < Anglo-French, equivalent to Old French puis after (< Latin posteā ) + ne born, past participle of naistre to be born (< Latin nāscere ); cf. puny

Example Sentences

So he enlisted as butler in the family of a puisne judge.

From Time Magazine Archive

Member of the Assembly, 1878-1883; elected to the House of Commons, 1883; appointed judge of the County Court, 1890; puisne judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick, 1893.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various

In 1855 became puisne judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick; in 1865 chief-justice of New Brunswick; and in 1875 puisne judge of the Supreme Court of Canada.

From The Makers of Canada: Index and Dictionary of Canadian History by Various

Each of these courts consists of a judge-president and two puisne judges.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 2 "Camorra" to "Cape Colony" by Various

As a puisne judge he had been conspicuous as a sound lawyer, with a strong logical mind unfettered by technicalities, but endowed with considerable respect for the common law.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 4 "Bradford, William" to "Brequigny, Louis" by Various