court for divorce and matrimonial causes
Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes. Hist. A court exercising jurisdiction over family issues, such as legitimacy and divorce. • The Court, which was established in 1857, acquired the matrimonial jurisdiction pre-viously exercised by the ecclesiastical courts. It consisted of the Lord Chancellor, the Chief Justices of the Queen’s Bench and Common Pleas, the Chief Baron of Exchequer, the senior puisne judges of the last three courts, and the Judge Ordinary. In most instances, the Judge Ordinary heard the cases. The Judicature Act of 1873 abolished the Court and transferred its jurisdiction to the Probate Divorce and Admiralty Division (now Family Division) of the High Court of Justice.
