Legal Definitions - calendar of prisoners

A calendar of prisoners was a historical document, essentially a detailed roster maintained by a sheriff. It served as an official record of everyone held in their custody, noting not only their names but also crucial information about their current charges and any previous criminal convictions. This list was vital for managing the jail population and for court proceedings.

• Imagine a sheriff in 18th-century England preparing for the quarterly Assizes (a type of court session). Before the judges arrive, the sheriff would consult the calendar of prisoners to confirm who was currently incarcerated, what they were accused of, and if they had any prior offenses. This allowed the sheriff to ensure the correct individuals were brought before the court and that the court had a preliminary understanding of their background.

  This example illustrates the term by showing the sheriff using the list to manage prisoners for a specific legal event, relying on the details of current charges and past convictions to facilitate court proceedings.

• When a new sheriff was appointed in a county in colonial America, one of their first tasks would be to review the existing calendar of prisoners. This document would provide an immediate and comprehensive overview of every individual currently confined in the county jail, detailing their identities, the reasons for their detention, and any relevant history of convictions. This allowed the new sheriff to understand their responsibilities and the status of the jail population.

  This example highlights the "list kept by the sheriffs" aspect and its utility for administrative oversight, particularly when there's a change in leadership, ensuring continuity in managing "all the prisoners in custody" and understanding their "present and past convictions."

• A magistrate visiting a local jail in 19th-century Scotland might request to see the calendar of prisoners. By reviewing this list, the magistrate could quickly ascertain who was awaiting trial, who had been sentenced, and who was being held for other reasons, along with their criminal histories. This allowed for oversight of the sheriff's management of the jail and ensured that prisoners were not held indefinitely without proper legal process.

  This demonstrates the term's use beyond just the sheriff, showing how other legal authorities could use this comprehensive list of "names of all the prisoners in custody alongside notes about each prisoner's present and past convictions" for judicial review and oversight.