Legal Definitions - bishop's court

Definition: Bishop's court refers to an ecclesiastical court that is usually held in the diocese cathedral and presided over by the bishop's chancellor. It is a court that applies civil canon law and has jurisdiction over appeals from the Court of Archdeacon. In a large diocese, the bishop's chancellor would have commissaries in remote parts who held consistory courts.

Example: In England, a consistory court is a type of bishop's court that exercises jurisdiction over the clergy and church property, such as a cemetery, and other ecclesiastical matters. Consistory courts are presided over by the bishop's chancellor or the chancellor's commissary.

Explanation: The example illustrates how a consistory court is a type of bishop's court that has jurisdiction over specific ecclesiastical matters. It is presided over by the bishop's chancellor or the chancellor's commissary, who applies civil canon law to resolve disputes related to the clergy and church property.