The Treaty of Tientsin specified how such jurisdiction was to be governed: Jurisdiction in the first instance, as well as in matters involving British defendants, was vested in the British consular courts, while in the Shanghai International Settlement, matters relating to criminal acts and debt enforcement involving Chinese defendants were vested in a "Mixed Court" (Chinese: 洋泾浜理事公廨; pinyin: Yángjīngbāng lishì gōngxiè,[7] later known as 會審公廨; Huìshěn Gōngxiè).

[9] The establishment of the British Supreme Court for China and Japan[note 1][10] was not challenged from any official quarter in China, as it was seen to be not only a way to more efficiently try matters close to the scene, but also to allow Qing officials to exert direct pressure on British authorities when they were not satisfied with a sentence.

[12] Under the terms of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of 1894, Britain gave up extraterritorial rights in Japan with effect from July 1899.

[note 2][14] The Court for Japan officially heard its last case, which had been filed before the end of July 1899, in early 1900.

In 1930 and 1931, after the Kuomintang consolidated their rule in China, Britain reached an agreement in principle with the Chinese Foreign Minister to give up extraterritorial rights.

Today the court building is used as an entertainment and dining venue managed by The Peninsula Shanghai Hotel.

[30] Effective 26 April 1927, the court ceased to have criminal jurisdiction over persons subject to military law in the British and Indian military forces, while on active service, except if the commander of the forces consented to the court having jurisdiction.

[32] Official case reports can be found in the North China Herald which was also the Supreme Court and Consular Gazette.

Some famous cases included: In its 78 years of existence from 1865 to 1943 the court had 15 full-time judges, including the first Chief Judge, Sir Edmund Hornby, Egyptologist Charles Wycliffe Goodwin; Frederick Bourne, a recipient of thanks from the U.S. President for services rendered; an aristocrat, Havilland de Sausmarez for whom the baronetage of the De Sausmarez Baronets was created; and a recipient of a decoration from the King of Siam, Skinner Turner.

The judges came from a variety of places, including from England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the British Virgin Islands and South Africa.

The Crown Advocate was not a full-time position in the Foreign Office, but the officeholder received payment for performing his duties.