154. The Crown side of the King's Bench Division. This jurisdiction includes scire facias, escheat, habeas corpus, mandamus, quo warranto, prohibition, and certiorari. These writs are used for much the same purposes as in this country. The writ of prohibition, which in England is generally a writ of right, runs to an ecclesiastical or inferior temporal court for excess or absence of jurisdiction, and also when the proceeding to be prohibited is unauthorized by statute or common law. It lies against a judge of an inferior court where he is interested, or where he makes an unauthorized alteration of his judgment. This writ also extends to inferior court proceedings which are partly within and partly without its jurisdiction, in order to correct the excess of jurisdiction. Whenever an inferior court wrongly decides a fact on which its jurisdiction depends, this writ will go.

155. Probate, divorce, and admiralty division.— This court is held by two judges, and has cognizance of all cases formerly coming before the Court of Probate and the Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes.

156. His Majesty's Court of Appeal. The jurisdiction of this court extends to that formerly possessed by the Lord Chancellor and by the High Court of Appeal in Chancery, by the Exchequer Chamber, and to that formerly exercised by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council on appeals from the High Court of Admiralty, and from orders in lunacy. In addition to this it has a very large jurisdiction by way of appeal from judges in chambers, from

decisions of a divisional court, all orders and judgments of the High Court of Justice, motion for new trials, and in many other special cases. This court has two divisions, one hearing appeals from the King's Bench and Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Divisions, and the other from the Chancery Division. It may also sit in three divisions at the same time. The judges of this court are the Lord High Chancellor, who is president of the court, the Lord Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls, the president of the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division, and five other judges called Lords Justices of Appeal. Ex-Lords Chancellors are ex-officio members of this court.

157. Officers of the courts.-These are official referees who act as arbitrators and much as masters in this country, examiners in court who take examinations under orders of the court in all of the divisions except admiralty. Special examiners may also be appointed to take evidence. There are also masters of the Supreme Court of Judicature, seven in the King's Bench Division, with two assistant masters, and whose jurisdiction it is to do judicial work in chambers in passing upon points of practice, including the reference of actions for inquiry and report, or for trial. The chancery division has twelve masters, each having a staff of clerks. Their duties are considerably more extensive than in this country.

In the Supreme Court of Judicature there is a central office, so-called, and it is divided into ten departments, each division being in charge of clerks appointed by the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Justice and the Master of the Rolls in rotation. One of these de

partments is called the taxing office, at the head of which are eleven masters for the taxation of costs.

158. Other officers.-There are also district registrars having power to administer oaths and perform such duties as may be prescribed by rules of court, and who also have jurisdiction of defaults, taking accounts and producing books and documents. The registrars have the same authority as a master of the Supreme Court either of the King's Bench or Chancery Division. An appeal lies from the district registrar to a judge. In the Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division there are four probate registrars with powers like those of masters of the Supreme Court and King's Bench Division. There is also an official solicitor of the Supreme Court, whose duties are to defend actions against poor persons when so directed, acting as guardian ad litem, conducting judicial sales, making lunacy investigations and reports, acting as judicial trustee, and assisting the court in other matters.

In the Chancery Division there may be thirteen registrars, who attend the chancery judges both in the Chancery Division and the Court of Chancery Appeal, for the purpose of taking notes of orders and judgments given, and formulate the same, as well as to keep dockets.

159. The circuits.-Courts are held in every county of England except Middlesex, with certain specific jurisdiction. These judges may try civil and criminal cases in the various counties; and their jurisdiction is sometimes exercised by the King's Counsel. There are seven of these circuits. These judges

while on the circuit may hold courts of assize, oyer and terminer and general gaol delivery, in all places except Middlesex County, the City of London, and other counties and parts of counties which are within the district of the Central Criminal Court, which is described on a subsequent page. Courts of assize have both civil and criminal jurisdiction in all the circuits. The principal officer of the assizes is a clerk of assize, who performs the functions of a master. He is assisted by a so-called clerk of arraigns, and other subordinate officers.

160. Criminal courts-Courts of summary jurisdiction. These courts are held by justices of the peace and other magistrates. Counties are divided into petty sessional divisions for the holding of these courts, and they consist of two or more justices, including the Lord Mayor and any alderman of London, and of metropolitan and borough police magistrates. These courts are courts of record with a very extensive jurisdiction, including some very important subjects, such as common assaults, copyrights and patents, explosives, factories and work-shops, husband and wife, lotteries, lunatics, public health, reformatory schools and town improvements. In certain cases they have jurisdiction over all offenses other than homicide, with civil jurisdiction in bastardy, landlord and tenant, and master and servant.

161. Quarter and general sessions.-Quarter session courts are held by two justices of the peace. General sessions are not held except in London. These courts are inferior courts of record, with original jurisdiction of offenses committed within the

county. They have appellate jurisdiction from the courts of summary jurisdiction. They have also original civil jurisdiction in many local causes relating to licenses of business, and viewing and closing of highways. They may exercise also appellate civil jurisdiction in bastardy orders, pauper cases, highway, licenses, and overseer cases.

162. Courts of special session.-These are meetings of justices for the purpose of executing statutory authority not exercisable by justices in quarter sessions. Their jurisdiction is wholly statutory, and relates to highways, and licenses for billiards and intoxicating liquors.

163. The Central Criminal Court.-This was established in 1834, and superseded the court called the Old Bailey. Its jurisdiction extends to treason, murder, felony, a misdemeanor committed within the city of London, and county of Middlesex and county of London, and certain other territory in Essex county; also to offenses committed on the high seas or elsewhere in the admiralty jurisdiction, and of murders and manslaughters of persons in the military. The King's Bench Division may, by order, also give this court jurisdiction of any particular offense committed outside its jurisdiction. Its judges are the Lord Mayor of London, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, all the judges of the King's Bench Division, the Dean of the Arches, the aldermen of the City of London, the Recorder, the Common Serjeant, the judges of the City of London Court, and any person who has been Lord Chancellor, Lord Keeper, or a judge of the