Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/The Decretals/The Epistles of Pope Fabian/To Bishop Hilary/Chapter 2

II.

Of extraneous judgments.

Moreover, by a general ordinance, and without prejudice to the authority of the apostles in all things, we prohibit extraneous judgments, because it is not fit that he should be judged by strangers, who ought to have those of his own province and those elected by himself as his judges, unless an appeal has been made.&#160; Wherefore, if any one of the bishops is accused on precise charges, he ought to be heard by all the bishops who are in the province; for it is not right that an accused person should be heard elsewhere than in his own circuit.&#160; Again, if any one is of opinion that he has a judge adverse to him, he should claim the right of appeal; and an appellant ought to be injured by no kind of oppression or detention; but an appellant ought to have the liberty of righting his case, when wronged, by the remedy of appeal.&#160; There ought also to be liberty of appeal in criminal cases.&#160; And the right of appealing ought to be denied to no one whom judgment has destined for punishment.