County Court

In English Law. Tribunals Of limited jurisdiction, originally established under St. 9 & 10 Vict. c. 95. They had, at their institution, jurisdiction of actions for the recovery of debts, damages, and demands, legacies, and balances of partnership accounts, where the sum sued for did not exceed twenty pounds. _ It has since been much extended, especially in cases where the parties give assent in writing. They are chiefly regulated by St. 9 & 10 Vict. c. 95; 12 & 13 Vict. c. 101; 13 & 14 Vict. c. 61; 15 &,16 Vict. c. 54; 19 & 20 Vict. c. Tribunals of limited jurisdiction in the county of Middlesex, established under St. 22 Geo. II. c. 33, These courts are held once a month at least in every hundred in the county of Middlesex, by the county clerk and a jury of twelve suitors, or freeholders, summoned for that purpose. They examine the parties under oath, and make such order in the case as they shall judge agreeable to conscience. 3 Steph. Comm. 452; 3 Bl. Comm. 83. The county court was a court of great antiqtiity, and originally of much splendor and importance. It was a court of limited jurisdiction incident to the jurisdiction of the sheriff, in which, however, the suitors were really the judges, while the sheriff was a ministerial officer. It had jurisdiction of personal actions for the recovery of small debts, and of many real actions prior to their abolition. By virtue of a justides, it might entertain jurisdiction of personal actions to any amount. At this court, all proclamations of laws, outlawries, etc., were made, and the elections of such officers as sheriffs, coroners, and others took place. In the time of Edward I. it was held by the earl and bishop, and was of great dignity. It was superseded by the courts of requests to a great degree; and these, in turn, gave way to the new county courts, as they' are sometimes called distinctively, In American Law. Courts in many of the states of the United States, and in Canada, of widely varying powers, in some states being courts of general origjnar jurisdiction, and in others courts of probate or limited jurisdiction,

A court of high antiquity in England, inctdent to the jurisdiction of the sheriff. It is not a court of record, but may hold pleas of debt or damages, under the value of forty shillings. The freeholders of the county {anciently termed the “suitors” of the court) are the real judges in this court, and the sheriff is the ministerial officer. See 3 Bl, Comm. 35, 86; 3 Steph. Comm. 395. But in modern English law the name is appropriated to a system of tribunals established by the statute 9 & 10 Vict. c. 95, have ing a limited jurisdiction, principally for the recovery of small debts. It is also the name of certain tribunals of limited jurisdiction in the county of Middlesex, established under the statute 22 Geo. II. c. 33.

In American law. The name is used in many of the slates to designate the ordinary eourts of record having jurisdiction for ' the charge and care of persons and estates eoming within legal guardianship, a limited criminal jurisdiction, appellate jurisdiction over justices of the peace, etc.

[L. Lat. curia comitatiis, or comitatus; L. Fr. counte.] A court of high antiquity in England, incident to the jurisdiction of the sheriif. 2 Bl, Com, 35. 3 Steph, Com, 395. 4 Co, 33. 1 Meeves' Hist, Eng, Law, 7. It is not a court of record, but may hold pleas of debt or damages, under the value of forty shillings, 3 Bl, Com. 35. The freeholders of the county (anciently termed the suitors of the court) are the real judges in this court, and the sheriff is the ministerial officer. Id. 36. 1 Beeves* Hist, 7. This was formerly a court of great dignity and splendor, but is now fallen to an inferior rank; and even as an ordinary court the resort to it, owing probably to the introduction of courts of request, is not veiy frequent.* 3 Steph, Com, 39d^ See Com, Dig. County courts, B, 3. Bac. A^ County court. In* the United States, county courts are courts of record of inferior jurisdiction, and held by judges expressly appointed or chosen for the purpose. Encyc. Americ, See U, S, Digest and Supplement, Courts.