COUNTY COURTS. The present C. C. were established in 1846, principally for the purpose of affording a cheap and speedy mode of recovering small debts. The old C. C., kept by the sheriffs, were in most cases limited to the recovery of sums not exceeding 40s., and the expense and difficulty of enforcing moderate claims often amounted to a denial of justice. There were a few local courts whose jurisdiction had a rather wider range, but in most cases there were great abuses connected with their management. The courts now take cognizance of all personal actions where the debt or damage claimed is not more than £50, except actions of "ejectment, or in which the title to any corporeal or incorporeal hereditaments, or to any toll, fair, market, or franchise, shall be in ques tion, or in which the validity of any devise, bequest, or limitation, under any will or settlement, may be disputed, or any malicious prosecution, libel, or slander, criminal conversation, seduction, or breach of promise of marriage." But all the actions here excluded, except action of criminal conversation, may be tried in the C. C. by consent of the parties concerned. By similar consent, actions for any greater amount than £50 may be tried.
In England and Wales, there are 499 courts. divided into 56 circuits, and presided over by 57 judges, the Liverpool circuit possessing two. The judges are appointed by the lord chancellor, or, where the whole district is in the duchy of Lancaster, by the chancellor of that duchy. Their salaries. owing to extended jurisdiction, are now nearly all £1500, and have, with slight variations, been made uniform throughout the country. Judges resigning from permanent disability are allowed a retiring pension not exceeding two thirds of their annual salary. Each court has a resident registrar, except in a very few cases, where officials in the old county or local courts claimed vested rights in the first appointments to C. C. offices. The registrars are appointed by the judge, but the lord chancellor, or chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, may remove them for miscon duct. Their salaries depend on the number of plaints entered in their districts. In courts under 6,000 plaints, they vary from £120 to £180, out of which the registrar pro vides a staff of clerks. Where the plaints exceed 6,000, the salary is £650 and clerks; where they exceed 8,000, £700 and clerks. Each court has also a high-bailiff, whose duties are outside, serving process and levying executions. In the smallest courts, their
salaries may fall to about £50; in the largest, they may rise to £700 net. There are 23 treasurers, who superintend the accounts of all the courts. They are appointed and removable by the lords of the treasury, and their salaries are £700 and £850 per annum. All the property of the court is vested in them.
In cases above £5, and in eases of replevin and interpleader, either party to a suit may demand a jury. But this is very seldom done. Out of 495,474 causes determined in 1874, only 991 were tried by jury. In 478,323 cases, the plaintiff gained his point. There is no right of appeal where the debt is under £20; but the decisions of the court seem to be willingly accepted as final, as appeals are exceedingly rare even in the heavier causes. There is no imprisonment for debt merely, but a defendant may be committed to prison for contumacy, fraud, or refusal to pay his debts when able to do so. This ground of imprisonment declines, owing to greater reluctance of judges to commit. In 1874, there were 4,198 persons imprisoned out of 23,232 warrants issued, the majority having paid before committal. No debtor can be committed for more than six weeks for failure to pay a debt, though he may be committed for such period in respect of each installment.
In 1874, the amount of debts recovered was £1,293,409, and the costs amounted to £64,901, and the fees on all proceedings were £350,152. There were 831 orders made to protect married women's goods against deserting husbands. There were, out of the whole cases, 28 appeals to the supreme courts. The courts dispose of 61 causes per day. The number of plaints or cases commenced and entered in each court during the year is about 15,200. Attorneys conduct most of the business in these courts, and even they are frequently dispensed with, so that the litigation is inexpensive as well as speedy. In 1875, they obtained power to dispose of all questions between masters and workmen.
The C. C. have also jurisdiction in insolvency cases, where the insolvent is not a trader within the meaning of the bankruptcy statutes, and where, being a trader, or a prisoner in jail for debt, he owes less than £300. They also have jurisdiction in equity and admiralty cases, and administer estates of persons who have died leaving not more than £200.