Also 6 -oure. [f. med.L. jūdicātūra, f. ppl. stem jūdicāt-, of L. jūdicāre to judge: see -URE. Cf. F. judicature (1426 in Godef., Compl.).]
1. The action of judging; administration of justice by duly constituted courts; judicial process. Often in phr. court of judicature.
Supreme Court of Judicature in England, that constituted by Acts of Parliament in 1873 and 1875, in which were united the former separate Courts of Chancery, King’s Bench, Common Pleas, Exchequer, Admiralty, etc.
1530. Palsgr., 235/1. Judycature, jugement; sentence.
c. 1616. Bacon, Adv. Dk. Buckhm., ii. § 4. Sir, the honour of Iudges in their Iudicature is the King’s honour, whose person they represent.
1628. Le Grys, trans. Barclay’s Argenis, 259. Let those which hold places of Iudicature, have as many Colleagues appointed to them.
1651. Hobbes, Govt. & Soc., xv. § 17. 254. We have demonstratively shewed … that all Judicature belongs to the City, and that Judicature is nothing else but an Interpretation of the Laws.
1660. Trial Regic., 52. It hath not power of Judicature of Life, and Death.
1735. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., IV. 31. As well in the Court of Chancery as in the other Courts of Judicature.
1799. Mackintosh, Study Law Nature & Nations, Wks. 1846, I. 372. All the improvements of mankind in police, in judicature, and in legislation.
1819. J. Marshall, Const. Opin. (1839), 189. The superior court of judicature of New Hampshire rendered a judgment upon this verdict.
1846. M’Culloch, Acc. Brit. Empire (1854), II. 251. The system of judicature in Ireland rests on the same principles as that of England, whence it was introduced by King John.
1873. Act 36 & 37 Vict., c. 66 § 3. The several Courts hereinafter mentioned … shall be consolidated together, and shall constitute one Supreme Court of Judicature in England.
2. The office, function or authority of a judge; in quot. 1635–56, a judge’s term of office.
1530. Palsgr., 34. A mynister of theyr common welth, outher as a capitayne, or in offyce of iudicatoure.
1621. Ld. Keeper Williams, in Fortescue Papers (Camden), 166. Whose reversions (even of places under my judicature) I use to seale dayly.
1635–56. Cowley, Davideis, IV. Note 13. Granted, that the 40 years assigned by S. Paul (Acts 13. 20) to Saul, are to include Samuels Judicature.
1706. Phillips, Judicature, a Judge’s Place, or Office.
1875. Maine, Hist. Inst., iv. 111. If the property be acquired by judicature or poetry, or any profession whatever.
b. (See quot.)
1847. Craig, Judicature … also, the extent of the jurisdiction of the judge, and of the court in which he sits to render justice.
1864. Webster cites Bouvier.
3. A body of judges or persons having judicial power; a court of justice; a legal tribunal, or such tribunals collectively.
1593. Sc. Acts Jas. VI. (1597), § 160. The saidis Assemblies and judicatoures [of the Kirk] sall direct their Bedle to the persone or personnes disobedient.
1651. Evelyn, Char. Eng., in Misc. Writ. (1805), 167. I was curious before my return … to visite their judicatures.
1677. Lond. Gaz., No. 1191/4. An Act for erecting a Judicature to determine differences touching Houses burnt and demolished by the late dreadful Fire.
1796. Bp. Watson, Apol. Bible, 257. If the witnesses of the resurrection had been examined before any judicature.
1863. H. Cox, Instit., II. ii. 299. The essential attribute of the judicature is the power of authoritatively interpreting the laws.
† 4. fig. Mental judgment; formation or authoritative expression of opinion; criticism. Obs.
a. 1631. Donne, in Select. (1840), 205. I proceed the right way in judicature, I judge according to my evidence.
1758. Johnson, Idler, No. 18, ¶ 2. If he seats himself uncalled in the chair of judicature.
† 5. The quality of being judicial (as opposed to moral): see JUDICIAL A. 1 b. Obs. rare–1.
1643. Milton, Divorce, II. xii. Our Saviour disputes not here the Judicature, for that was not his Office, but the morality of Divorce, whether it be Adultery or no.
6. attrib.
Judicature Acts, a name given to the statutes establishing the Supreme Court of Judicature, and regulating its practice. These include esp. Act 36 & 37 Vict. c. 66 (1873), 38 & 39 Vict. c. 77 (1875); see also 59 & 60 Vict. c. 14, Sch. 11 (Short Titles Act, 1896).
1873. Sat. Rev., 9 Aug., 163. The Queen confidently expects that we shall thank God … for the Budget, the Judicature Act, the Education and Endowed Schools Amendment Acts.
1880. Manch. Guard., 20 Dec., 5/2. The Judicature Acts placed a great deal of power in the hands of the Judges.
1883. Wharton’s Law-Lex. (ed. 7), 53/2. Court of Appeal … is constituted under the Judicature Act, 1873, the Appellate Jurisdiction Act, 1876, and the Judicature Act, 1881. Ibid., 801/2. The Supreme Court of Judicature Acts, 1873 and 1875 … are commonly referred to as ‘The Judicature Acts.’
