The English Law Courts.
VIII.
375
THE COUNTY COURTS.
The modern County Court is the legiti made. Each of these circuits is presided mate statutory descendant of the common over by a judge, appointed, and removable, law County Court which existed from An by the Lord Chancellor. The qualifications glo-Saxon times down to the present cen for the appointment is seven years' standing tury, and exercised both a contentious and a at the bar. In former days a County Court
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non-contentious jurisdiction of considerable judgeship was looked upon as the appro priate reward of a range and import Lord Chancellor's ance. By the com ' private secretary or mencement of the a political "silk" who 1 7th century, how was not strong ever, the ancient enough for the High County Court had so Court Bench, or an fallen into disfavor elderly "junior" who that a need for the . had social influence establishment of an with the occupant of other court to take the woolsack. But its place, in so far as in recent years the petty litigations were position of matters concerned, had be has undergone a mar come widely felt. ked change. Occa Accordingly in the sionally indeed a bar third year of James M rister who has never I, a local Court of had a brief in his life, Request was created; and is but imperfectly other tribunals of the familiar with the color same character were of the tape with which created by local acts, ^&? V it is tied, is pitch and they rapidly forked into one of became general SIR FRANCIS JEUNE. these posts. But the throughout the king modern CountyCourt dom. The Court of Request had power to entertain suits up to judge is very often a "silk" who would ,£15. But this jurisdiction was of far too have been on the High Court Bench had limited a nature to satisfy the needs of the an opportunity of promoting him to it oc community, and accordingly in 1846 it was curred, and is nearly always an experienced detertermined to revive in a new improved and able lawyer. The salary attached to form the old common law County Court. the office is £1500 a year, with an allowance Effect was given to this idea by the County varying according to circumstances for trav Courts Act, 1846. The position and powers eling expenses. In the case of illness or of the County Courts now depend on a statue unavoidable absence from duty a County passed by the legislature in 1888. There Court judge may appoint a deputy (being a are at present 58 County Court circuits in barrister of not less than seven years' stand England, exclusive of the city of London ing) to sit for him. The deputy's appoint court, to which separate reference will be ment is required to be intimated to the
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