Governors Court

Hilary Golder points to research that magistrates were in fact dealing with small debt claims as early 1789, one year after the commencement of the colony.

Macquarie supported this and eventually the British authorities arranged for new charters to issue for the reform of the civil courts.

The court was created by Letters Patent dated 4 February 1814 issued by King George III the reigning sovereign of England at the time.

The court had jurisdiction to hear and determine actions summarily relating to land, houses, debt, contract, trespass, and just about any other common law or equitable cases up to £50 sterling in value.

Sir John Wylde was appointed by the British authorities in 1815 as Bent’s successor and presided in the Court until its abolition in 1823.

New South Wales State Archives records show that the court at least sat at Parramatta and Windsor for the trial of causes.

The rules included provisions relating to the rights of attorneys to practise, how writs were issued and returned, the keeping of court records, the execution of judgements and pleading procedure.

[3] An original copy of those rules is held by the State Library of New South Wales with annotations later made by Bent’s successor Wylde.

It was replaced by the newly created Supreme Court of New South Wales established by Letters Patent dated 13 October 1823.