1 May 1815 - Opening of the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Civil Judicature was opened by its first judge, Jeffrey Hart Bent, on 1 May 1815.
Judge Bent in turn swore in William Broughton and Alexander Riley as magistrates. The Supreme Court was established by the Second Charter of Justice in 1814 and dealt with pleas of debt, account or other contracts, trespasses and other personal pleas. The Court was abolished by the Third Charter of Justice in 1823 and replaced by the Supreme Court of NSW that dealt with both civil and criminal jurisdictions.
Source: Currey, C. (1966). Bent, Jeffery Hart (1781-1852).Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 1
Related index
Criminal court records index 1788–1833
A valuable resource relating to the NSW colonial justice system and for research into criminals, convicts and crimes during the early years of the Colony
See also
- Digitised entries in the Colonial Secretary's Index under Supreme Court
- Digitised entries in the Colonial Secretary's Index under Jeffrey Hart Bent
- Digitised entries in the Colonial Secretary's Index under William Broughton
- Digitised entries in the Colonial Secretary's index under Alexander Riley
- Index to the Court of Civil Jurisdiction, 1799-1814
- Australian Dictionary of Biography entry for Jeffery Hart Bent
Published on
Related
Browse all
Supreme Court guide
The Supreme Court heard all matters that were punishable by death until the abolition of the death penalty in 1955
Court of Criminal Jurisdiction guide
The establishment of a NSW Court of Criminal Jurisdiction was authorised by King George III, through the First Charter of Justice (Act 27 Geo.III c.2) 1787
Quarter Sessions guide
The Quarter Sessions court was an intermediate court with greater powers than the local court or bench but not as great as the Supreme Court
Records of the higher courts
Higher courts include the Court of Quarter Sessions, the District Court and the Supreme Court. This webinar explores the records of these courts and how to find them