courts

[forestman]

what was the term meant in law for quarter sessions ,azises

[Ethel]

I don't really understand your question - quarter sessions were so called because they had to be held at least 4 times a year

Assizes has been replaced by Crown Court, and cases were referred to Assizes from the Quarter Sessions, because they were too serious for them to deal with.

[Tichfield]

Assizes were periodical sittings of judges on circuit, in England and Wales, with a jury .


The Quarter Sessions derive their name from the fact that they were required by a statute of 1388 to be held at least four times a year.

The Quarter Sessions generally heard crimes which could not be tried summarily by the Justices of the Peace without a jury in petty sessions, which were sent up by the process of indictment to be heard in Quarter Sessions. The Quarter Sessions in each county was made up of two or more Justices of the Peace, presided over by a Chairman, who sat with a jury. In county boroughs which were entitled to have their own Quarter Sessions, there was a single Recorder instead of a bench of justices.

The Quarter Sessions did not have jurisdiction to hear the most serious crimes, most notably those which could be punished by capital punishment or later life imprisonment. These crimes were sent for trial at the periodic Assizes.

Bot erre replaced by Crown Courts in 1972