Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: oyer and terminer
A court of error is a type of court that has the power to review and correct mistakes made by lower courts. In the past, the Court of Exchequer Chamber and the House of Lords served as the court of error for appeals from common-law courts. However, today, the Court of Appeal has jurisdiction over superior-court appeals. Essentially, a court of error is a higher court that can fix errors made by lower courts.
Definition: A court that has the power to review and correct the decisions made by a lower court.
Example: In the past, the Court of Exchequer Chamber and the House of Lords served as the Court of Error. If someone disagreed with a decision made by a lower court, they could appeal to the Court of Exchequer Chamber, and then to the House of Lords. However, since 1873, the Court of Appeal has taken over this role for superior-court appeals.
Explanation: The example illustrates how the Court of Error was historically used to review and correct decisions made by lower courts. It also shows how the Court of Appeal has taken over this role in modern times. In general, a Court of Error can be any court that has the power to review and correct lower court decisions.