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comprising all the high officials of each province and representatives of the minor clergy. It is in the nature of an ecclesiastical par- liament: and. so far as its Judicial functions extend. it has jurisdiction of cases of heresy, schism, and other purely ecclesiastical matters. An appeal lies to the king in council.

In English law. A court of record. to inquire, when any one dies in prison, or comes to a violent or sudden death, by what manner he came to his end. 4 Steph. Comm. 323; 4 Bl. Comm. 274. See Oononrn.

COURTS OF THE COUNTIES PALA- TINE. In English law. A species of pri- vate court which formerly appertained to the counties palatine of Lancaster and Durham.

COURT OF COUNTY COMMISSION- ERS. There is in each county of Aiahiima a couit of record, styled the "court of county commissioners," composed of the Judge of probate, as principal Judge, and four com- missioncrs, who are elected at the times prescribed by lflW, and hold office for four years. Code Aia. 1856. § 819.

COURT OF DELEGATES. An English tribunal composed of delegates appointed by royal coiuiuission, and formeriy the great court of appcai in all ecclesiasticai (muses. The pen ers of the court were, by 2 «c 3 Wm. IV. c. 92. tiansferied to the privy council. A commission of review was foimeriy grouted. in extraordinary cases. to revise a sentence of the court of delegates, when that court had apparently been led into material error. Brown; 3 Bl. Comm. 06.

COURT OF THE DUCHY OF LANCAS- TER. A court of special jurisdiction, held before the chancellor of the duchy or his deputy, conceining ail matters of equity re- iating to iunds hoidcn of the king in right of the duchy of Lancaster. 3 BL Comm. 73.

COURT 0}‘ EQUITY. A court which has jurisdiction in equity, which administers justite and decides contioieisies in accord- ance with the rules. Principles, and picco- dents of equity, and which fuilows Llie torms and procedure of chaucery; as distinguished from a court having the Jlll'iS(1lLl.’.lOl.1, rules, principles, and practice of the common law. Thomas v. Phiiiips, 4 Smedes J: M. (Miss) 42%.

COURT 0}‘ ERROR. An expression applied especially to the court of exchequer chamber and the house of lords, as taking cognizance of error hroiigh t. Mo’/.ley & Whit- ley. It is applied in some of the United States to the court of last resort in the state; and in its most general sense denotes any court having power to review the decisions or lower courts on appeal, error, certiarn.i'i', or other process.

288 COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS COURT OF ERRORS AND APPEALS. The court of last resort in the state of New Jersey is so named Formerly, the same title was given to the highest court of npiml in New York.

—High court of error: and appeals. Thn court of last resort in the state of Mississippi.

COURT OF EXCHTEQUER. In Englisli law. A very ancient court of record. set up by William the Conqueror as a part ut the (min reyis, nnd afteriwards one of the four superior courts at Westiuinstei. it W:i.s, however, inferior in rank to both the king's bench and the common pieas. It was pit- sided over by a chief liason and four palms barons. it was originally the king's Linus- ury, and was charged wiLli keeping the kings accounts and coiiecting the royal icvenuea. But pleas between subject and subject were ant-ieutly heard there, until this was for- bidden by the Articuiiz super Clmrms, (1229,) after which its juiisdiction as a court oaly extended to revenue cases arising out of the non-payment or withhoiding uf debts to the civuii. But the privilege of suing and being sued in this couit was extended to the king's accountants, and later, by the use of a con- venient iiction to the effect that the plaintitf was the king's debtor or accountant, tho court was thrown open to ail suitors in per sonai actions. The exchequer had [oimcriy both an equity side and a counnou-law side. but its equity Jurisdiction was tilliell aviay by the statute 5 Vict. c. 5, (1&2,) and transterred to the court of chancery. The judiciture act (1573) transferred the business and jurisdiction of this court to the "Exchequer Division" of the "High Court of Justin.‘

In scotch law. A court which formeriy had jurisdiction of matters of revenue, and a limited Jurisdiction over cases between Ihe crown and its vassais where no questions of title were involved.

COURT OF EXCI-IEQUER CHAMBER. The name or a former English couit of appeal, intermediate between the Supclllbt courts of common law and the house of lords. When sitting as a court or appeai from any one of the three superior courts of coninion law. it was composed of Judges of the other two courts. 3 Bl. Comm. 56, 57; 3 Steps. Comm. 333. 356. By the judicatnre act (1% ii) the jurisdiction of this court is transferred to the court or appeal.

COURT OF GENERAL QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE. In American law. A court of criminal jurisdiction in New Jersey.

In English law. A court of criminal ju- risdiction, in England, held in each county once in every quarter of a year, but in the county of Middlesex twice £l month. 4 Steph. Comm. 317-.-320.

COURT OF GENERAL SESSIONS. The name given in some of the states (in