Aula Regia in United Kingdom

Meaning of Aula Regia or Regis

The following is an old definition of Aula Regia or Regis [1]: The royal hall, or the king’s hall. A court established by the Conqueror, to advise the king in matters of great moment. It was composed of the king’s great officers resident in his palace: the lords high constable, steward, treasurer, the lord chancellor, and others. These were assisted by persons learned in the laws – the king’s justiciars or justices, and by the greater barons of parliament. Over all whom presided the chief justiciar. Here will be noted the change in the meaning of the word “court” from royal household to tribunal of justice. The court followed the king’s household in all his expeditions. That being burdensome to litigants it was ordained by Magna Charta that the court should be held in some certain place – Westminster Hall. In the reign of Edward I the court was subdivided into four distinct tribunals: chancery, king’s bench, exchequer, and common pleas – the last being in a special sense the successor of the original aula regis. See Chancellor, 1.

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Notes and References

1. Concept of Aula Regia or Regis provided by the Anderson Dictionary of Law (1889) (Dictionary of Law consisting of Judicial Definitions and Explanations of Words, Phrases and Maxims and an Exposition of the Principles of Law: Comprising a Dictionary and Compendium of American and English Jurisprudence; William C. Anderson; T. H. Flood and Company, Law Publishers, Chicago, United States)