judicature
(ˈdʒuːdɪkətjʊə(r), -eɪtjʊə(r))
Also 6 -oure.
[f. med.L. jūdicātūra, f. ppl. stem jūdicāt-, of L. jūdicāre to judge: see -ure. Cf. F. judicature (1426 in Godef. Compl.).]
1. The action of judging; administration of justice by duly constituted courts; judicial process. Often in phr. court of judicature.
Supreme Court of Judicature in England, that constituted by Acts of Parliament in 1873 and 1875, in which were united the former separate Courts of Chancery, King's Bench, Common Pleas, Exchequer, Admiralty, etc.
| 1530 Palsgr. 235/1 Judycature, jugement; sentence. c 1616 Bacon Adv. Dk. Buckhm. ii. §4 Sir, the honour of Iudges in their Iudicature is the King's honour, whose person they represent. 1628 Sir R. Le Grys tr. Barclay's Argenis 259 Let those which hold places of Iudicature, have as many Colleagues appointed to them. 1651 Hobbes Govt. & Soc. xv. §17. 254 We have demonstratively shewed..that all Judicature belongs to the City, and that Judicature is nothing else but an Interpretation of the Laws. 1660 Trial Regic. 52 It hath not power of Judicature of Life, and Death. 1735 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. IV. 31 As well in the Court of Chancery as in the other Courts of Judicature. 1799 Mackintosh Study Law Nature & Nations Wks. 1846 I. 372 All the improvements of mankind in police, in judicature, and in legislation. 1819 J. Marshall Const. Opin. (1839) 189 The superior court of judicature of New Hampshire rendered a judgment upon this verdict. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 251 The system of judicature in Ireland rests on the same principles as that of England, whence it was introduced by King John. 1873 Act 36 & 37 Vict. c. 66 §3 The several Courts hereinafter mentioned..shall be consolidated together, and shall constitute one Supreme Court of Judicature in England. |
2. The office, function, or authority of a judge; in quot. 1635–56, a judge's term of office.
| 1530 Palsgr. 34 A mynister of theyr common welth, outher as a capitayne, or in offyce of iudicatoure. 1621 Ld. Keeper Williams in Fortescue Papers (Camden) 166 Whose reversions (even of places under my judicature) I use to seale dayly. 1635–56 Cowley Davideis iv. Note 13 Granted, that the 40 years assigned by S. Paul (Acts 13. 20) to Saul, are to include Samuels Judicature. 1706 Phillips, Judicature, a Judge's Place, or Office. 1875 Maine Hist. Inst. iv. 111 If the property be acquired by judicature or poetry, or any profession whatever. |
b. (See quot.)
| 1847 Craig, Judicature..also, the extent of the jurisdiction of the judge, and of the court in which he sits to render justice. 1864 Webster cites Bouvier. |
3. A body of judges or persons having judicial power; a court of justice; a legal tribunal, or such tribunals collectively.
| 1593 Sc. Acts Jas. VI (1597) §160 The saidis Assemblies and judicatoures [of the Kirk] sall direct their Bedle to the persone or personnes disobedient. 1651 Evelyn Char. Eng. in Misc. Writ. (1805) 167, I was curious before my return..to visite their judicatures. 1677 Lond. Gaz. No. 1191/4 An Act for erecting a Judicature to determine differences touching Houses burnt and demolished by the late dreadful Fire. 1796 Bp. Watson Apol. Bible 257 If the witnesses of the resurrection had been examined before any judicature. 1863 H. Cox Instit. ii. ii. 299 The essential attribute of the judicature is the power of authoritatively interpreting the laws. |
† 4. fig. Mental judgement; formation or authoritative expression of opinion; criticism. Obs.
| a 1631 Donne in Select. (1840) 205, I proceed the right way in judicature, I judge according to my evidence. 1758 Johnson Idler No. 18 ¶2 If he seats himself uncalled in the chair of judicature. |
† 5. The quality of being judicial (as opposed to moral): see judicial A. 1 b. Obs. rare—1.
| 1643 Milton Divorce ii. xii, Our Saviour disputes not here the Judicature, for that was not his Office, but the morality of Divorce, whether it be Adultery or no. |
6. attrib.
Judicature Acts, a name given to the statutes establishing the Supreme Court of Judicature, and regulating its practice. These include esp. Act 36 & 37 Vict. c. 66 (1873), 38 & 39 Vict. c. 77 (1875); see also 59 & 60 Vict. c. 14, Sch. 11 (Short Titles Act, 1896).
| 1873 Sat. Rev. 9 Aug. 163 The Queen confidently expects that we shall thank God..for the Budget, the Judicature Act, the Education and Endowed Schools Amendment Acts. 1880 Manch. Guard. 20 Dec., The Judicature Acts placed a great deal of power in the hands of the Judges. 1883 Wharton's Law-Lex. (ed. 7) 53/2 Court of Appeal..is constituted under the Judicature Act, 1873, the Appellate Jurisdiction Act, 1876, and the Judicature Act, 1881. Ibid. 801/2 The Supreme Court of Judicature Acts, 1873 and 1875..are commonly referred to as ‘The Judicature Acts’. |