COUNTY COURTS.

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Reference number	CY
Level of description	Fonds
Date	1880-1992
Description	County courts were from their inception instructed to keep records. It is probable that direction was given through statutory instruments as to the form of these. In the 1959 Act section 23 the records of the court to be kept are `as prescribed by the Lord Chancellor'. This prescription duly came in the County Court (Records of Proceedings) Regulations 1967 (SI 1967/1194). These regulations specified what records should be kept of the court in session (such as ordinary and default actions books) and what information they should contain, rather than background records concerning cases or court administration. Subsequently a Lord Chancellor's Department records retention schedule for county court records has also been issued.. Ordinary and default actions books: ordinary and default actions were originally recorded in the same plaint and minute books, all allocated the letter `A'. These books act as the main record of the court and include details of cases, summonses and judgements.. In 1915 for the rural courts, and in the late 19th century for the urban ones, a split was effected between the recording of ordinary and default actions. The ordinary actions plaint and minute books became `B' and the default actions `C'. By 1938 the books are titled by the action type. These books act as the main record of the court as above.. Commitment summons books: these cover both ordinary and default actions and are a record of all summonses and judgements relating to orders for commitment to prison. These books are labelled `H'.. Case files: these files contain, inter alia, copies of claims and defences, court papers and copies of evidence produced at hearings. They are selected by the creating court before transfer to Dorset Archives Service. All case files not selected for transfer are destroyed.. Ledgers: case payment ledgers are labelled `P'.. Foreign warrants books: these are labelled `M'.. Other records: some records have been created under specific provisions of certain acts. It seems likely that statutory instruments regulated the form of these records. There is evidence that the alphabetical tag applies to some of these too, as one Shaftesbury county court bankruptcy administration book bears the initial `W'..
Language	English

Bournemouth County Court. Bridport County Court. Christchurch County Court. Dorchester County Court. Poole County Court. Shaftesbury County Court. Weymouth County Court.