quarter sessions

quarter sessions

pl.n.

1. A British local court of limited jurisdiction that sits quarterly.

2. A local court in the United States with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions.

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quarter sessions

n (functioning as singular or plural)

1. (Law) (in England and Wales, formerly) a criminal court held four times a year before justices of the peace or a recorder, empowered to try all but the most serious offences and to hear appeals from petty sessions. Replaced in 1972 by crown courts Compare assizes

2. (Law) (in Scotland, formerly) a court held by justices of the peace four times a year, empowered to hear appeals from justice of the peace courts and to deal with some licensing matters: abolished in 1975

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

quarter sessions - a local court with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions court, judicature, tribunal - an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business law, jurisprudence - the collection of rules imposed by authority; "civilization presupposes respect for the law"; "the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order"