Mixed Tribunals

A name given to an international jurisdiction introduced into Egypt in 1878, after negotiations with the various Christian Powers of Europe. This tribunal made the administration of civil justice quite independent of the government of Egypt. They have jurisdiction over cases between persons of different nationalities, whether native or European, but criminal charges against natives are heard in the native criminal courts and those against Europeans in the proper consular courts. There are three first Instance courts, one at Alexandria with eighteen judges, of whom twelve are foreign, one at Cairo with nineteen judges, of whom thirteen are foreign, and one at Mansurah with nine judges, of whom six The jurisdiction cannot be invoked unless one party is a foreigner, but it is said to be not uncommon for Egyptian merchants to assign their claims to foreigners, so as to get them into these courts. See Ann. Bull, of Comp. Law Bureau, 1911, p. 43. The judges are subjects of various European states, and of the United States and Brazil. They are appointed by their respective governments; Milner, England in Egypt. These courts were instituted for a period of five years only, and have been renewed at various times. Bonflls, Manual of Int Law 460; 23 L. Q. R. 409; and see 8 Encyc. Laws of Eng. 445.