Star chamber
Star´ cham`ber Pronunciation: stär´chām`bẽr
STAR CHAMBER, Eng. law. A court which formerly had great jurisdiction and
power, but which was abolished by stat. 16, C. I., c. 10, on account of its
usurpations and great unpopularity. It consisted of several of the lords
spiritual and temporal, being privy counsellors, together with two judges of
the courts of common law, without the intervention of a jury. Their legal
jurisdiction extended over riots, perjuries, misbehaviour of public
officers, and other great misdemeanors. The judges afterwards assumed
powers, and stretched those they possessed to the utmost bounds of legality.
4 Bl. Com. 264.
court,
judicature,
tribunal