A central criminal court for the county and city of Dublin

Abstract

Previous to the year 1729 all serious offences, such as treasons or felonies committed in either the city or the county of Dublin, were triable only at the bar of the Court of King's Bench in term time, or under a special commission, and the duty of discharging the gaols of the county and city of Dublin was performed by the Court of King's Bench. To obviate the inconvenience arising from this state of the law, a statute was passed m 1729, 3 Geo. 2, chap. 15, entitled, "An act to provide for the more speedy trial of criminals in the county of the city of Dublin, and county of Dublin," by which it was enacted that commissioners, to be appointed under any commission of oyer and terminer, or of gaol delivery, under the great seal of Ireland, should be empowered to meet and sit, if the said commissioners think fit, in that part of the King's Court where the Court of King's Bench sits, and there to deliver the gaols of the said respective counties; and the said commissioners were also authorized to hear and determine all crimes and offences committed in the county of the city of Dublin, and county of Dublin.