' COURT LEFT. In English Law. A eburt of record for a particular hundred, lordship, or manor, holden therein before the steward of the leet, for the punishment of petty offences and the preservation of the peace. Kitchin, Courts Leet.
These courts were established as substitutes fot the sheriff's tourn in those districts which were not readily accessible to the sheriff on the tourn. The privilege of holding them is a franchise subsisting in the lord of the manor by prescription or charter, and may be lost by disuse. The court leet took cognizance of a wide variety of crimes, ranging from the very smallest misdemeanors to, but ex cluding, treason. For some of these offences of is lower order, punishment by fines, amercements, or other means might be inflicted. For the higher crimes, they either found indictments which were to be tried by the higher courts, or made present ment of the case to such higher tribunals. They
also took view of frankpledge. Among other du ties for the keeping of the peace, the court assisted in the election of, or; in some cases, elected, certain municipal officers in the borough to which the leet was appended.
This court has fallen considerably into dis use, but still exists in some parts of England. In some boroughs it still elects, and in others assists in the election of, the chief municipal officers of the borough. Its duties are mainly, however, those of the trial of the smaller of fences or misdemeanors, and presentment of the graver offences. These presentments may be removed by certiorari to the king's bench and an issue there joined. 4 Share wood, Blackst. Comm. 273 • Greenwood, County Courts, 308 et seq. ; Kitchin, Courts Leet; Powell, Courts Leet ; 1 Reeve, Hist. Eng. Law, 7.