Glasgow Justices of the Peace Court
- Reference:GB 243 B3/2
- Dates of Creation:1663 - 1680
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:1 volume
Scope and Content
Diet book, 1663 - 1680.
Administrative / Biographical History
The justices of the peace first came into existence in Scotland in 1587 (Criminal Justice Act 1587, c.57, APS, iii.458). Later Justices of the Peace Acts of 1609 (c.14, APS, iv.434) and 1661 (c.338, APS, vii.306) dealt with the powers and functions of the office. JPs did not become an important administrative force until the eighteenth century. The Act of Union in 1707 (Act for rendering the Union of the Two Kingdoms more entire and complete: 6 Anne, c.6) led to an attempt at extending the powers enjoyed by the English justices of the peace to Scotland, but in Scotland JPs never obtained the prominence that they had in England.
JPs had civil and criminal jurisdiction, wide-ranging but not dealing with serious business. The criminal jurisdiction was mostly confined to preservation of the public peace, with sheriff courts achieving dominance in criminal matters.
Access Information
Access restrictions may apply. Please contact the Archives for further information
Other Finding Aids
Descriptive list available at Glasgow City Archives.
Conditions Governing Use
Application for reproduction should be made to the Archivist
Related Material
Glasgow City Archives, JP22, Records of the Justices of the Peace for the City of Glasgow
Corporate Names