# Judge Driscoll — Pudd’nhead Wilson character guide > Judge Driscoll in Pudd’nhead Wilson by Mark Twain. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** the Judge, the old Judge, York Leicester Driscoll, Old Driscoll **First appearance:** 0001-pudd-nhead-wilson ## Snapshot Dawson's Landing's most consequential citizen, a freethinker who indulges his nephew and tolerates Wilson's oddities with patrician ease. ## Who they are The Judge is the town's leading man, secure enough in his standing to hold unorthodox views and keep his place. He dotes on his nephew Tom with a mixture of pride and anxious hope, and he treats Wilson with a tenderness that the rest of the town finds puzzling. His authority and his blind spots both matter: he sets the social weather of the story and cannot imagine the deception unfolding under his own roof. ## Relationships ### [Pudd'nhead Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/puddnhead_wilson) _friendship_ Judge Driscoll is one of the few townspeople who respects Wilson's intellect and supports him socially. ### [Tom Driscoll](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/tom_driscoll) _family_ Judge Driscoll is Tom's uncle and guardian, but he is often disappointed by Tom's dissolute behavior. ### [Pembroke Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/pembroke_howard) _friendship_ Judge Driscoll and Pembroke Howard are old friends and fellow aristocrats who share social and legal interests. ### [Pudd'nhead Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/puddnhead_wilson) _friendship_ Judge Driscoll is one of the few townspeople who respects Wilson's intellect and supports him socially. ### [Pembroke Howard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/pembroke_howard) _friendship_ Judge Driscoll and Pembroke Howard are old friends and fellow aristocrats who share social and legal interests. ### [Tom Driscoll](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/tom_driscoll) _family_ Judge Driscoll is Tom's uncle and guardian, but he is often disappointed by Tom's dissolute behavior. ### [Tom Driscoll](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/tom_driscoll) _family_ Judge Driscoll is Tom's uncle and guardian, but he is often disappointed by Tom's dissolute behavior. ## In the story ### [Pudd'nhead Wilson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/pudd-nhead-wilson) The leading citizen of Dawson's Landing and the uncle of the Driscoll family; a man of honor and tradition. ### [I: Pudd'nhead Wins His Name](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/i-pudd-nhead-wins-his-name) Chief citizen of Dawson's Landing, proud of his Virginian ancestry, childless with his wife. ### [II: Driscoll Spares His Slaves](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/ii-driscoll-spares-his-slaves) Confronts his slaves about theft, threatens to sell them down the river, but ultimately spares them that fate. ### [III: Roxy Plays a Shrewd Trick](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/iii-roxy-plays-a-shrewd-trick) Mentioned as one of the smartest men in town, alongside Pudd'nhead Wilson and Pembroke Howard. ### [IV: The Ways of the Changelings](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/iv-the-ways-of-the-changelings) Judge Driscoll takes in Tom after his brother's death and buys Chambers to prevent a scandal. He promises to make Tom his heir. ### [The Twins Thrill Dawson's Landing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/v-the-twins-thrill-dawson-s-landing) Retired from the bench, president of the Freethinkers' Society, and a friend to Wilson, but his attempts to promote Wilson's calendar backfire. ### [VII: The Unknown Nymph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/vii-the-unknown-nymph) Parades the twins through town, hosts them, and later brings them to the Freethinkers' meeting. ### [VIII: Marse Tom Tramples His Chance](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/viii-marse-tom-tramples-his-chance) Mentioned as having paid Tom's gambling debts and restored the will after disinheriting him. ### [X: The Nymph Revealed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/x-the-nymph-revealed) Judge Driscoll is Tom's ostensible uncle. Tom's hatred for him grows, as he views him as a white man who owns him as property. The Judge also makes a comment that stings Tom, calling him 'meek as a nigger.' ### [The Shame of Judge Driscoll](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xii-the-shame-of-judge-driscoll) Learns of Tom's cowardice and disinherits him, then prepares to challenge Count Luigi to a duel. ### [Tom Stares at Ruin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xiii-tom-stares-at-ruin) Tears up his will after Tom refuses to duel; his silver watch is reported stolen. ### [XIV: Roxana Insists Upon Reform](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xiv-roxana-insists-upon-reform) Prepares for a duel with Count Luigi, rewrites his will to restore Tom's inheritance, and expresses regret for his indulgence of Tom. ### [XV: The Robber Robbed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xv-the-robber-robbed) Judge Driscoll is Tom's uncle, pleased with Tom's recent behavior, but is told by Tom that Luigi is an assassin, which shocks him. ### [The Judge Utters Dire Prophecy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xvii-the-judge-utters-dire-prophecy) Makes the closing speech of the campaign, ridiculing the twins and delivering a deadly shot about the knife. ### [XIX: The Prophecy Realized](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xix-the-prophecy-realized) Murdered by Tom; his body is found by the twins, and his death is initially blamed on Luigi. ### [Doom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/chapters/xxi-doom) The victim of the murder, referred to as the beloved friend of the community. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters/judge_driscoll - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pudd_nhead_wilson_se/characters