The Quarter Sessions ceased on the setting up of the Crown Court which tried the cases outside the scope of the Magistrates Courts. These offences ranged from theft, burglary, right up to offences of rape and murder. The most serious offences were heard before High Court Judges who were appointed for each of the six Circuits, South West, Midland and Oxford, Wales and Chester, South East, North Eastern and Northern. The High Court judges usually sat at the larger courts on the Circuit and not only dealt with criminal cases but also civil actions, mainly personal injury cases. There were in addition to the Judges of the Queens Bench Division, Judges of the Family Division who also went out 'on Circuit' and dealt mainly with cases involving the welfare of children, adoption, wardship custody etc. I had spent all my working life in the County Courts Branch of the Lord Chancellor's Department from 1957 until 1974 when I moved to one of the largest Crown Court centres, staying there until retirement. -----Original Message----- From: Ronald Smith Sent: Sunday, December 19, 2010 10:12 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [POWYS] POWYS Digest, Vol 5, Issue 343 Re Quarter Sessions. I am a novice when it comes to replying to lists, (so I hope I'm doing it correctly), but I do know a thing or two about Quarter Sessions as I regularly attended them over many years, in the London area. What hasn't already been said, is that Quarter Sessions were the Judge-and-Jury type of court, i.e. all the lawyers, and the Judge dressed up in robes, wigs, etc. These courts were on a higher level than the ordinary Magistrates' Courts, and were used for trials of more serious offences, or to deal with criminals sent up from the Magistrates Court for sentencing. Above the Quarter Sessions Courts were the Assizes, which dealt with the top level of crimes, e.g. treason, murder, etc (although Quarter Sessions could deal with some murders.) Kind regards, Ron Smith =================== Visit the Powys Mailing List webpage at: www.jlb2005.plus.com/powyslist.htm ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message