His health gradually declined over the near-decade of his chief justiceship. In 1814 he was elevated to the chief justiceship. It heard only four cases during Jay's chief justiceship. He resigned his chief justiceship in 1873. The Court heard only four cases during Jay's Chief Justiceship. Fagan therefore accepted the Chief Justiceship with misgivings. He also turned down a knighthood and a chief justiceship among other offers. Before his chief justiceship, he was Master of the Rolls from 2000 to 2005. In 1850 he resigned his chief justiceship and retired into private life. In 1921, he resigned the chief justiceship to become Viceroy and Governor-General of India.