Serjeant

The highest rank attainable in the profession of the common law.

The same word etymologically with "sergeant," but the latter spelling is more commonly employed in the designation of military and police officers, (see Sergeant,) whlle the former ls preferred when the term is used to describe cortain grades of legal practitioners and cortain officers of legislative bodies. See infra.

— Common Serjeant. A judicial officer attached to the corporation of the city of London, who assists the recorder in disposing of the criminal business at the Old Bailey sessions, or central criminni court. Brown.

— Serjeant at arms. An executive officer appointed by, and attending on, a legislative body, whose principal duties are to execute its warrants, preserve order, and arrest offenders.

— Serjeant at law. A barrister of the common-law couris of high standing, and of much the same rank as a doctor of law is in the ecolesiastical courts. These serjeants seem to have derived their title from the old knights templar, (among whom there existed a peculiar class under the denomination of "fr&ret tergens," or "fratres servientes,") and to have continued as a separate fraternity from a very early period In the history of the legal profession. The barristers who first assumed the old monastic title were those who practiced in the court of common pleas, and until a recent period (the 25th of April, 1834, 9 & 10 Viet. c. 54) the serjeants at law always had the exclnsive privilege of practice in that court. Every judge of a common-law court, previous to his elevation to the bench, used to be created a serjeant at law; but since the judicature act this is no longer necessary. Brown.

— Serjeant of the mace. In English law. An officer who attends the lord mayor of London, and the chief magistrates of other corporate towns. Holthouse.

— Serjeants' Inn. The inn to which the serjeants at law belonged, near Chancery lane; formerly called "Faryndon Inn."

serjant, serjent, I. fr. and eng. The title of several officers in the common law, generally of the ministerial class.

In American law. An officer who attends upon the sessions of legislative bodies, with duties similar to those of the corresponding English officer.

In English law. Serjeant at arms: an officer whose duty is to attend the person of the king, to arrest traitors, to attend the Lord High Steward sitting in judgment on a traitor, and the like, two of which officers attend as executive officers upon the two houses of parliament, and another of which attends, with like duties, upon the court of chancery. Serjeant at law: the highest degree of counsel in the common law, corresponding with doctor in the civil law, — called, also, anciently, Serjeant of the coif, and serjeant counter. Serjeant of the mace, or serjeant at mace: an officer who attends the Lord Mayor of London, and the chief magistrates of other corporate towns.