Kentucky Law Journal Volume 24 | Issue 4 Article 2 1936 The eveS nteenth Century Justice of Peace in England James R. McVicker University of Kentucky Follow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/klj Part of the Legal History Commons Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits you. Recommended Citation McVicker, James R. (1936) "The eS venteenth Century Justice of Peace in England," Kentucky Law Journal: Vol. 24 : Iss. 4 , Article 2. Available at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/klj/vol24/iss4/2 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Kentucky Law Journal by an authorized editor of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY JUSTICE OF PEACE IN ENGLAND By JAMES R. AMcVicE In seventeenth century England, county government largely devolved upon the justices of the peace. They were a body of trained peace-magistrates who through the detection, apprehension and prosecution of criminals functioned as the agency of police control; who in the exercise of their judicial powers on the criminal side in the county court of quarter ses- sions constituted the local magistracy; and who by the deriva- tion of their authority acted as instruments of government by the Crown. Justices were commissioned by the King and re- sponsible to him for the maintenance of public order, for fur- therance of the policies of the central government and for super- vision of internal county affairs.