Courts Of Oonscience

See "Courts of Requests." COURTS OF OYER AND TERMINER and general gaol delivery. They are held before commissioners selected by the queen, among whom are usually two justices of the superior courts at Westminster, twice in every year in all the counties of England except the four northern, where they are held once only, and Middlesex and parts of other counties, over which the central criminal court has jurisdiction. Under the commission of oyer and terminer, the justices try indictments previously found at the same assizes for treason, felony, or misdemeanors. Under the commission of general gaol delivery, they may try and deliver every prisoner who is in gaol when the judges arrive at the circuit town, whenever or before whomsoever indicted, or for whatsoever crime committed. These commissions are joined with those of assize and nisi prius and the commission of the peace. See "Courts of Assize and Nisi Prius." In American Law. Courts of criminal jurisdiction in the state of Pennsylvania. They are held at the same time with the court of quarter sessions, as a general rule, and by the same judges. See Purd. Dig. Pa. Laws (Stroud & B. Ed.) pp. 694, 1377. COURTS OF PRINCIPALITY OF Wales. A species of private courts, of a limited though extensive jurisdiction, which, upon the thorough reduction of that principality, and the settling of its policy in the reign of Henry VIII., were erected all over the country. These courts, however, have been abolished by 1 Wm. IV. c. 70; the principality being now divided into two circuits, which the judges visit in the same manner as they do the circuits in England, for the purpose of disposing of those causes which are ready for trial. Brown.