Judicial career
His advancement to a judgeship in the Court of King's Bench was one of the stipulations included in the propositions for peace of January 1642–43. On 28 October 1645, he was sworn in as such, and on 15 November 1648, further to votes of both houses of parliament, he was advanced to Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, otherwise known as Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. About a week after the execution of King Charles I in 1649, he accepted on 8 February 1649, a new commission as Lord Chief Justice of the upper bench on the understanding that no change should be made to the fundamental laws of the kingdom.
On 13 February 1649, he was voted a member of the Council of State, which appointment strengthened the government, and his presence on the western circuit contributed much to the settlement of the public mind. In 1650 he tried the case of William Franklin and Mary Gadbury. The two them had been asserting that William was Jesus Christ come to earth in a new body. They had been tried in Winchester and they had recanted their claims. The same happened again and as before Gadbury was given correction to persuade her to make her mark. They were both released within weeks and never heard from again although one disgraced minister mentioned him in 1666.
On 4 August 1654 Rolle was appointed Commissioner of the Exchequer. Rolle was exceeded in his abilities as advocate or judge by none of his contemporaries save by the great Sir Matthew Hale.
His decisions, reported by William Style, rarely relate to matters of historic interest. Nevertheless, he established, in the case of Captain Streater, committed to prison by order of the Council of State and the Speaker of the House of Commons for the publication of seditious writings, the principle that a court of justice cannot review parliamentary commitments if regular in form.
