NRS-850 | Returns of criminal cases heard at Country Quarter Sessions

These registers contain the returns sent by Clerks or Deputy Clerks of the Peace for each district at Country Quarter Sessions to the Clerk of the Peace. The purpose of the returns was to summarise the business of the Court of Petty Session at each place. The returns show the name of the accused, nature of the offence, date of trial, verdict, sentence, details about the disposition of the case if it was not brought to trial and name of the judge. Returns may also show registration number. Each return is signed and dated by the Deputy Clerk of the Peace at the relevant place. Some telegrams and memoranda are found in the volumes .After receipt by the Clerk of the Peace the returns were arranged alphabetically by the place where the court met and were bound into annual volumes. The registers do not contain an index of cases.