Master In Chancery

English Law: Master in Chancery in the Past

An officer of the court of chancery.

Developments

The origin of these officers is therefore, accounted for. The chancellor from the first found it necessary to have several clerks, were it for no other purpose, than to perform the mechanical part of the business, the writing; these soon rose to the number of twelve. In process of time this number being found insufficient, these clerks contrived to have other clerks under them and then, the original clerks became distinguished by the name of masters in chancery. He is an assistant to the chancellor, who refers to him interlocu-tory orders for stating accounts, computing damages (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.K. encyclopedia) and the like. Masters in chancery are also invested with other powers, by local regulations. Vide Blake’s Ch. Pr. 26; 1 Madd. Pr. 8 1 Smith’s Ch. Pr. 9, 19.

Details

In England there are two kinds of masters in chancery, the ordinary and the extraordinary..

Other Aspects

The masters in ordinary execute the orders of the court, upon ref-erences made to them and certify in writing in what way they have executed such orders. 1 Sm. Ch. Pr. 9.

More Information

The masters extraordinary perform the duty of taking affidavits touching any matter in or about the court of chancery, taking the acknowledgment of deeds to be enrolled in the said court and taking such recognizances, as may by the tenor of the order for entering them, be taken before a master extraordinary. 1 Sm. Ch. Pr. 19. Vide, generally, 1 Harg. Law Tr. 203, a Treatise of the Maister of the Chauncerie. [1][rtbs name=”history-of-english-law”]

Resources

Notes and References

1. Partialy, this information about master in chancery is based on the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, 1848 edition. There is a list of terms of the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, including master in chancery.

See Also