In London, the qualification
is being a householder and having lands to the value of 100
pounds. No sheriff may excuse a qualified person from jury service
for money or other reward. Selection of jurors for each case is to
be done by some indifferent person pulling their names from a box.
Later, persons refusing jury service could be fined.
Poor persons may be paid up to 6d. to give evidence against
felons.
Pirates may not be tried again for the same crime or for a certain
crime and high treason. When the marine force was raised, the
marines were also given protection from double jeopardy.
In Chancery, a plaintiff filed a complaint and interrogatories
prepared by counsel. Only in Chancery could there be discovery.
The interrogatories were addressed by court officials to witnesses
without the presence of the parties or their lawyers. Officials
wrote down the answers in their own terms. So there was no cross-
examination possible. Most decrees took many years to be made.
The ordinary administrative court of first instance is that of one
or two Justices of the Peace who issue orders in matters of public
safety, public order, public morals, health, the poor, highways,
water, fields, forests, fisheries, trade, building, fire, begging,
and vagrancy. He examined suspicious persons and issued warrants
for the removal of persons likely to become a public charge. The
Justice of the Peace also regulates wages, servants, apprentices,
and day laborers.
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