NRS-13461 | Charter of Justice, Letters Patent, 1823 (Manuscript)

As a result of the criticisms of the existing judicial arrangements in New South Wales by Commissioner Bigge the Court of Criminal Jurisdiction and the Supreme Court of Civil Jurisdiction were abolished in 1823.The New South Wales Act, 1823 (4 Geo. IV Act No .96) gave power to the King to issue letters patent or a charter to establish a Supreme Court in New South Wales and to settle the details of jurisdiction.Such letters patent were issued on 13 October 1823 and constituted the Supreme Court a Court of Record, and provided for the appointment of a Chief Justice, Registrar, Prothonotary, Master and Keeper of the Records and for the admission of Barristers and Attorneys. It also prescribed the names of appointment and the duties of the Sheriff. The Charter took effect in New South Wales on 17 May 1824.The Supreme Court received jurisdiction in all pleas, civil, criminal and mixed, and the jurisdiction of the Courts of Kings Bench Common Pleas and Exchequer and Courts of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery. The Supreme Court was also given the equitable jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery and ecclesiastical jurisdiction in probate matters. The Australian Courts Act, 1828 ( 9 Geo. IV Act No .83), repealed the New South Wales Act, 1823 which was a temporary Act, and added to the Supreme Court the common law jurisdiction of the Court of Chancery. This Act itself was originally passed for a period of seven years but was eventually made perpetual by the Acts 5 & 6 Vic. c.76.Originally in 1823 it was provided that if both parties to a civil action were so desirous the Act might allow the appointment of a jury. In criminal cases all trials were to take place before judge and jury of seven military or naval officers.

鉴于比格专员对新南威尔士现行司法架构的批评，刑事管辖法院（Court of Criminal Jurisdiction）与民事管辖最高法院（Supreme Court of Civil Jurisdiction）于1823年被撤销。《1823年新南威尔士法令》（4 Geo. IV Act No .96）赋予国王发布特许状（letters patent）以设立新南威尔士最高法院并明确管辖细则的权力。1823年10月13日颁布的上述特许状将该法院确立为记录法院（Court of Record），并规定可任命首席大法官、登记官、诉讼登记官（Prothonotary）、庭长（Master）与档案管理员（Keeper of the Records），同时准许大律师与诉讼代理人执业。该特许状还规定了郡治安官（Sheriff）的任命事宜与职责。这份特许状于1824年5月17日在新南威尔士正式生效。该最高法院享有所有民事、刑事及混合型诉讼的管辖权，同时承接王座法院（Kings Bench）、民事高等法院（Common Pleas）与理财法院（Exchequer）的管辖权，以及听审与判决法院（Oyer and Terminer）与监狱总交付法院（General Gaol Delivery）的管辖权。此外，该法院还被赋予衡平法院（Court of Chancery）的衡平管辖权，以及遗嘱认证事项（probate matters）的教会司法管辖权。1828年《澳大利亚法院法令》（9 Geo. IV Act No .83）废止了作为临时法令的《1823年新南威尔士法令》，并将衡平法院的普通法管辖权增补至最高法院的职权范围。该法令最初的有效期为七年，后经《维多利亚5年与6年法令第76号》（5 & 6 Vic. c.76）最终确立为永久法令。1823年的原始条款规定，若民事诉讼的双方当事人均有此意愿，可依该法令任命陪审团。在刑事案件中，所有审判均需由法官与由七名军官或海军人员组成的陪审团主持进行。