The Assize Courts date from the 14th. Century. They originally reviewed certain property disputes but the justices' powers were gradually extended to criminal cases and the assizes became the principal English criminal courts until they were replaced by the Crown Courts in 1971. Go to http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/search.asp?j=1 and put Assize Rolls in the search box to see what the National Archives hold. Regards Stan Mapstone