THE COURT OF EXCHEQUER CHAMBER was formerly a court of all the judges in England as sembled for decision of matters of law. Orig inally established in the reign of Edward III., for the purpose of reviewing the decisions of the common-law side of the Court of Exchequer, it developed into a general court of error, in which capacity it revised the judgments of time other two courts of common law as well. In the reign of Elizabeth it was enacted that the judges of the Common Pleas and Exchequer should form a second Court of Exchequer Chamber, for re view of certain cases in the Queen's Bench. But this intermediate court of appeal was abolished by the Judicature Act of 1873 as inconveniently composed and somewhat unnecessary.
In Scotland, before' the Union, the Exchequer was the King's revenue court. A new court was established in the reign of Queen Anne having private jurisdiction as to questions relating to revenues and customs of excise, and as to all honors and estates, real and personal. and for feitures and penalties arising to the Crown with in Scotland. But questions of title to honors,
lands, etc., were reserved to the Court of Ses sion. The judges of the court were the High Treasurer of Great Britain, the chief baron and four other barons, and English barristers as well as Scotch advocates were allowed to practice in the court. By a statute of William IV. it was provided that successors should not be appointed to such of the barons as should retire or die. and that the duties of the court should be discharged by a judge of the Court of Session. :More recently by 19 and 20 Viet_ e. 56, the Court of Exche quer has been abolished and its jurisdiction trans ferred to the Court of Session.
The Court of Exchequer Chamber in Ireland was established by 40 George III., ch. 39, hut was abolished as an intermediate court of ap peal between the Irish courts and the High Court in England. (See Corm.) Consult Madox, History and Antiquities of the Exchequer of the Kings of England, etc. (2d ed., London, 1769).