INNS of COURT, the name given in England to certain voluntary societies which have the exclusive right of calling persons to the English liar. There are four such socie ties in London, viz., the inner temple, the middle temple, Lincoln's inn. and Gray's inn. Each of these inns possesses certain smaller inns, which are -mere collections of houses or chambers, as Clifford's inn, new inn, Furnivdl's inn, etc. The four inns are each governed by a committee or board, called the henchers, who are generally queen's counsel or senior counsel, self-chosen, i.e., each new bendier is chosen by the existing benchers. Each inn has also a local habitation, consisting of a large tract of houses or chambers, which are in general occupied exclusively by barristers, and sometimes by attorneys, and arc a source of great wealth. Each inn is self-governing, and quite distinct from the others, all, however, possessing equal privileges; but latterly they have joined in imposing certain educational tests for the admission of students. It is entirely in the
discretion of an inn of court to admit any particular person asa member, for no member of the public has an absolute right to he called to the bar, there being no mode of com pelling the inn to state its reasons for refusal. practically, no objection is ever made to the admission of any person of good character. Each inn has also the power of disbarring its members, that is, of withdrawing from them the right of practicing as counsel. This right has been rarely exciciscd. btit of late years there have been exam pies of persons abusing their profession, ki,o nAlulging in dishonest practices; in sueh cases, the inn lies its ONVII mode of inquiring into the facts affectiug the character of a member, and is not bound to make the investigation public. By this high controlling power over its members, a higher character is supposed to be given to the bar as a body, than if each individual was left to his own devices, unchecked, except by the law. See BARRISTER.