Lancaster - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition lancaster

Definition :

Lancaster, a county of England erected into a palatine in the reign of Edward III, and granted by him to his son John for life, that he should have jura regalia and a king-like power to pardon treasons, outlawries, etc., and make justices of the peace and justices of assize within the county, and all processes and indictments to be in his name. It is later vested in the Crown. It has a separate Chancery Court, the procedure of which is regulated by Acts of 1850, 1854, and 1890 (13 & 14 Vict. c. 43, 17 & 18 Vict. c. 82,and 53 & 54 Vict. c. 23), the last of these Acts conferring on the Court exactly the same jurisdiction as that of the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice [see (English) Judicature Act, 1925, s. 18(2)]; the Common Pleas became vested in the High Court, but the Chancery at Lancaster was not so vested. See also (English) Chancery of Lancaster Rules, 1930, and Chancery of Lancaster (Companies) Rules, 1930, printed in 1930, W.N. Part II., pp. 63, 68. See COUNTY PALATINE and DUCHY Court OF LANCASTER.