He was born in
Ayr in January 1764, the son of Edward Cathcart of Greenfield,
Ayrshire, and passed advocate at the
Scottish bar on 16 July 1785. He was promoted to the bench as an ordinary lord of session on 8 June 1813, on the resignation of
Sir William Honyman, assuming the title of Lord Alloway. On the resignation of
Lord Hermand, in 1826, he was also appointed a
lord of justiciary. Cathcart died at his seat, Blairston, near
Ayr, on 27 April 1829. He is buried in the ruins of
Alloway Kirk. ==Family==