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A petty sessional division was, in
England and Wales England and Wales () is one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. It covers the constituent countries England and Wales and was formed by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. The substantive law of the jurisdiction is Eng ...
, the area that a
magistrates' court A magistrates' court is a lower court where, in several jurisdictions, all criminal proceedings start. Also some civil matters may be dealt with here, such as family proceedings. Courts * Magistrates' court (England and Wales) * Magistrate's Cour ...
had jurisdiction over (before the abolition of
quarter session The courts of quarter sessions or quarter sessions were local courts traditionally held at four set times each year in the Kingdom of England from 1388 (extending also to Wales following the Laws in Wales Act 1535). They were also established i ...
s, specifically the
petty session Courts of petty session, established from around the 1730s, were local courts consisting of magistrates, held for each petty sessional division (usually based on the county divisions known as hundreds) in England, Wales, and Ireland. The sessio ...
s). Petty sessional divisions were gradually consolidated in the 20th century (being reorganised in 1953 under the Justices of the Peace Act 1949), and were replaced by
local justice area Local justice areas are units in England and Wales established by the Courts Act 2003, replacing and directly based on the previous petty sessional divisions. They have been in existence since 2005. Local justice areas are used to determine whic ...
s in 2005. Petty sessional divisions were formalised under the Division of Counties Act 1828 (9 Geo. IV c.43), but they had existed informally for centuries as arrangements within the counties themselves. The areas were restated by th
Local Government (Petty Sessional Divisions etc.) Order 1973
(SI 1973/1593). Former courts and tribunals in England and Wales Administrative divisions of England Administrative divisions of Wales 1828 establishments in England 1828 establishments in Wales 2005 disestablishments in England 2000s disestablishments in Wales {{Geo-term-stub