The Court of the Archdeacon, or Archdeaconry Court, is an obsolete
ecclesiastical court of the
Church of England
The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britai ...
. The court's original responsibilities included trial for minor criminal matters falling within the territory of the
archdeacon. Appeals against court decisions were made directly to the diocesan
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
. Archdeaconry Courts became redundant in the eighteenth century when the minor criminal jurisdiction passed to
justices of the peace
A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...
.
Church of England legislation
Ecclesiastical courts
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