COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

The English court of common pleas was one of the four superior courts at Westminster, and existed up to the passing of the judicature acts. It was also styled the “Common Bench.” It was one of the courts derived t from the breaking up of the aula regis, and had exclusive jurisdiction of all real actions and of eommunia placita, or common pleas, i.e., between subject and subject. It was presided over by a chief justice with four puisne judges. Appeals lay anciently to the king’s bench, but afterwards to the exchequer chamber. See 3 Bl. Comm. 37, et seq. In American law. The name sometimes given to a court of original and general jurisdiction for the trial of issues of fact and law according to the principles of the common law. See Moore v. Barry, 30 S. C. 530, 9 S. E. 589, 4 L. R. A. 294.