justice of the peace
11Justice of the Peace — A Justice of the Peace (JP) is a puisne judicial officer appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice and deal with local administrative applications in common law… …
12Justice of the peace — A justice of the peace (JP) is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission (letters patent) to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative …
13justice of the peace — a local public officer, usually having jurisdiction to try and determine minor civil and criminal cases and to hold preliminary examinations of persons accused of more serious crimes, and having authority to administer oaths, solemnize marriages …
14justice of the peace — noun a local magistrate with limited powers (Freq. 1) • Topics: ↑law, ↑jurisprudence • Hypernyms: ↑magistrate * * * noun, pl justices of the peace [count] : a local official who has the power to decide minor legal cases and in the U.S. to perform …
15Justice of the Peace — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms Justice of the Peace : singular Justice of the Peace plural Justices of the Peace an official similar to a judge who works in the lower courts. Justices of the Peace are often simply called JPs …
16Justice of the Peace — Justices of the Peace 1) N COUNT In Britain, a Justice of the Peace is a person who is not a lawyer but who can act as a judge in a local criminal law court. The abbreviation JP is also used. Syn: magistrate 2) N COUNT In some states in the… …
17justice of the peace — An office of ancient origin, established in the United States as part of the English judicial system under the common law. Brown v Knox County, 187 Tenn 8, 212 SW2d 673, 5 ALR2d 1264. A magistrate; often a township officer, although exercising… …
18justice of the peace — A judicial magistrate (of English origin) of inferior rank having (usually) jurisdiction limited to that prescribed by statute in civil matters (e.g. performance of marriages) and jurisdiction over minor criminal offenses, committing more serious …
19justice of the peace — A judicial magistrate (of English origin) of inferior rank having (usually) jurisdiction limited to that prescribed by statute in civil matters (e.g. performance of marriages) and jurisdiction over minor criminal offenses, committing more serious …
20justice of the peace court — justice of the peace court: a local court of limited jurisdiction usu. over minor civil and criminal actions, small claims, and some felony preliminaries which is presided over by a justice of the peace and which usu. follows summary procedure ◇… …
