What is CONSTABLE? Definition of CONSTABLE in Black's Law Dictionary - Legal dictionary - Glossary of legal terms.
In American law. An officer of a municipal corporation (usually elected) whose duties are similar to those of the sheriff, though his powers are less and his jurisdiction smaller. He is to preserve the public peace, execute the process of magistrates' courts, and of some other tribunals, serve writs, attend the sessions of the criminal courts, have the custody of juries, and discharge other functions sometimes assigned to him by the local law or by statute. Allor v. Wayne County, 43 Mich. 76, 4 N.W. 492.
In English law. A public civil officer, whose proper and general duty is to keep the peace within his district, though he is frequently charged with additional duties. 1 B1.Comm. 356. There are "high," "petty," and "special" constables. See the definitions, infra.
In Medieval law. A high functionary under the French and English kings, the dignity and importance of whose office was second only to that of the monarch. He was in general the leader of the royal armies, and had cognizance of all matters pertaining to war and arms, exercising both civil and military jurisdiction. He was also charged with the conservation of the peace of the. nation. Thus there was a "Constable of France" and a "Lord High Constable of England." Rich v. Industrial Commission, 80 Utah 511, 15 P.2d 641, 644.
Constable of a castle. In English law. An officer having charge of a castle; a warden, or keeper; otherwise called a "castellain." Stat. Westm. 1, c. 7 (3 Edw. I.) ; Spelman, Gloss.
Constable of England. (Called, also, "Mare shal.") His office consisted in the care of the common peace of the realm in deeds of arms and matters of war. Lamb. Const. 4; 3 Steph. Comm. 47; 4 Bla. Comm. 92.
Constable of Scotland. An officer who was formerly entitled to command all the king's armies in the absence of the king, and to take cognizance of all crimes committed within four miles of the king's person or of parliament, the privy council, or any general convention of the states of the kingdom. The office was hereditary in the family of Errol, and was abolished by the 20 Geo. III, c. 43. Bell; Ersk. Inst. 1, 3, 37.
Constable of the exchequer. An officer mentioned in Fleta, lib. 2, c. 31, and in 51 Hen. III, stat. 5, cited by Cowell.
High constables. In England, officers appointed in every hundred or franchise, whose proper duty seems to be to keep the king's peace within their • respective hundreds. 1 Bl.Comm. 356; 3 Steph. Comm. 47; Coke, 4th Inst. 267.
High constable of England, lord. His office has been disused (except only upon great and solemn occasions, as the coronation, or the like) since the attainder of Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, in the reign of Henry VII.
Petty constables. Inferior officers in every town and parish, subordinate to the high constable of the hundred, whose principal duty is the preservation of the peace, though they also have other particular duties assigned to them by act of parliament, particularly the service of the summonses and the execution of the warrants of justices of the peace. 1 Bl.Comm. 356; 3 Steph. Comm. 47, 48.
Special constables. Persons appointed (with or without their consent) by the magistrates to execute warrants on particular occasions, as in the case of riots, etc.
More On This Topic: COURT OF QUARTER SESSIONS OF THE PEACE
---
That's the definition of CONSTABLE in Black's Law Dictionary - Legal dictionary - Glossary of legal terms. Courtesy of Cekhukum.com.
