assize
n. 1. An assize court or council. In modern times assizes were sittings of High Court judges travelling on circuits around the country with commissions from the Crown to hear cases. These commissions were either of oyer, terminer, and general gaol delivery, empowering the judges to try the most serious criminal cases, or of nisi prius, empowering them to try civil actions. These assizes were abolished by the Courts Act 1971, and the criminal jurisdiction of assizes was transferred to the Crown Court. At the same time, the High Court was empowered to hear civil cases anywhere in England and Wales without the need for a special commission. 2. A statute or ordinance, e.g. the Assize of Clarendon, Novel Disseisin.

• de facto
• de facto carers
• de facto director
• defamation
• default
• default notice
• default summons
• defeasance
• defect
• defective equipment
• defective premises
• defective products
• defectum sanguinis
• defence
• defence statement
• defendant
• deferred debt
• deferred sentence
• deforcement
• defrauding
• degrading treatment
• de jure
• del credere agent
• delegated legislation
• delegation