quarter sessions

/'kwɔ:tə'seʃnz/

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Word: Quarter Sessions

Part of Speech: Noun

Definition: Quarter sessions refer to a type of local court that used to exist in England and Wales. These courts had the power to hear criminal cases and sometimes handled local government or administrative matters. The name "quarter" comes from the fact that these sessions were held four times a year.

Usage Instructions:

• When to Use: You would use "quarter sessions" when talking about historical or legal contexts in the UK, particularly regarding local courts that operated in the past.
• Example Sentence: "The defendant was tried at the quarter sessions for theft."

Advanced Usage:

• In discussions about historical legal systems, you might say, "The abolition of quarter sessions in the 1970s marked a significant change in the English judicial system."

Word Variants:

• Quarter Session: Referring to a single session of the court.
• Quarterly: An adjective that describes something happening four times a year, related to the frequency of these sessions.

Different Meanings:

• In a modern context, "quarter" can also refer to a fourth part of something (like a quarter of a dollar, which is 25 cents), but this is unrelated to the legal term.

Synonyms:

• Local Court: A general term for a court that deals with local legal matters.
• Magistrates' Court: A type of local court in the UK that deals with less serious criminal cases.

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly related to "quarter sessions," but you might encounter phrases like "in session," meaning that a court is currently meeting.

Summary:

"Quarter sessions" is a historical term referring to a local court in England and Wales that dealt primarily with criminal cases and some administrative functions.

Academic

Noun

1. a local court with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions