His August Majestie's Courts

The present court system was established by the Judiciary Act of 7527, an Act of the Privy Council (Composite Code XXV.3). This substance of this Act was originally put forward by the lame-duck Privy Council of 7526 (whose members had just been chosen as Lord Great Steward and Regent) as part of the Administrative Areas Act of 7526. The incoming Privy Council objected, and formed a Committee on the Judiciary, which recommended that the original Act was invalid, and that it should be split into two bills and validly enacted by the new Privy Council. This was done on 2 Gwaeron 7527.

Under the termsof the Elective Offices Act of 7527 (CC XXV.2), the Lord High Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal "shall supervise the character of and be responsible for the conduct of all courts in His August Majestie's realms." The Chancellor is a peer elected to the office by the Council-General; when a commoner is elected to the office, he uses only the title "Keeper of the Great Seal." The Chancellor enjoys precedence immediately after the Lord President, unless the Chancellor is a peer and the President a commoner, in which case their precedence is reversed.

• The Courts of Council
  • The Council-General, His Highness the Lord Great Steward presiding
  • The Privy Council, The Lord High Chancellor and Keeper of the Great Seal presiding [appeals to the Council-General by petition to His Highness the Lord Great Steward]
• The Courts of Chancery [appeals to the Privy Council]
  • The Lords of Appeals in Ordinary
  • The Masters in Chancery
• The High Court of Justice, The Lady Chief Justice (The Right Honourable and Learned the Baroness Glanduin) presiding [appeals to the Courts of Chancery]
• The Palatine Courts
  • Courts-Baron of the Palatine Dukes, the Dukes presiding [appeals to the Courts of Chancery]
  • Courts of Session [appeals to the Court-Baron]
  • Municipal Courts [appeals to the Court-Baron]
• The Special Courts
  • The Lord Great Steward's Court
  • The High Court of Chivalry [appeals to the Privy Council]
  • Courts Martial [appeals to the Privy Council]
  • Civic Courts [appeals to the Privy Council]

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This page last revised 30 Cerveth 7549 / July 15, 1997.