Louis Perrin (15 February 1782 – 7 December 1864) was an Irish barrister, politician and judge.
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Early life
Perrin was born in Waterford, the son of Jean Baptiste Perrin. Jean Baptiste, a Frenchman, had come to Ireland to seek a living: he set himself up as a teacher of French, and earned his living mainly as a private tutor to wealthy Irish families.
Louis Perrin was educated at the diocesan school at Armagh. Removing to Trinity College Dublin, he was elected a Scholar there in 1799, and graduated B.A. in 1801. At the trial of his fellow student, Robert Emmet, in 1803, when the sentence of death was pronounced, Perrin rushed forward in the court and warmly embraced the prisoner.
He devoted himself with great energy to the study of mercantile law; in Hilary term 1806 was called to the bar, and was soon much employed in cases where penalties for breaches of the revenue laws were sought to be enforced.
When Watty Cox, the proprietor and publisher of Cox's Magazine was prosecuted by the government for a libel in 1811, O'Connell, Burke, Bethel, and Perrin were employed for the defence; but the case was practically conducted by the junior, who showed marked ability in the matter.
He was also junior counsel, in 1811, in the prosecution of Sheridan, Kirwan, and the Roman Catholic delegates for violating the Convention Act.