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quarter sessions

noun Law.

an English court of general criminal jurisdiction for crimes less than homicide, held quarterly.
(in the U.S.) a court with limited criminal jurisdiction, having local administrative powers in some states.

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Origin of quarter sessions

First recorded in 1570–80

Words nearby quarter sessions

quarter rest, quarter round, quarters, quartersaw, quarter section, quarter sessions, quarterstaff, quarter tone, quarter-wave plate, quartet, quartic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for quarter sessions

British Dictionary definitions for quarter sessions

quarter sessions

noun (functioning as singular or plural)

(in England and Wales, formerly) a criminal court held four times a year before justices of the peace or a recorder, empowered to try all but the most serious offences and to hear appeals from petty sessions. Replaced in 1972 by crown courtsSee also crown court Compare assizes
(in Scotland, formerly) a court held by justices of the peace four times a year, empowered to hear appeals from justice of the peace courts and to deal with some licensing matters: abolished in 1975
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012