Simple English definitions for legal terms
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Hanaper Office: A long time ago, there was a special office called the Hanaper Office. It was part of a court called the Chancery Court. The Hanaper Office was where they kept important papers called writs. These writs were kept in a hamper, which is like a big basket. The Hanaper Office was closed a long time ago, in 1842.
Baga: Another word you might hear when talking about the Hanaper Office is "baga." This is just another word for a bag or purse. In the past, original writs were kept in a bag called the Petty Bag Office.
Definition: The Hanaper Office was an office that used to belong to the common-law jurisdiction of the Chancery Court. It was used to store writs in a hamper (in hanaperio). The office was abolished in 1842.
Example: Crown writs were stored in the Petty Bag Office, while original writs were kept in the Hanaper Office.
This means that the Hanaper Office was responsible for storing important legal documents, specifically original writs. These writs were used to initiate legal proceedings in the Chancery Court. The example shows that the Hanaper Office was distinct from the Petty Bag Office, which stored a different type of legal document.