Governor's Court
A Second Charter of Justice, under Letters Patent of 4 February 1814, established three new courts of Civil Judicature - the Governor's Court, the Supreme Court and the Lieutenant Governor's Court. The Governor's Court included the Deputy-Judge-Advocate and two members appointed by the Governor, or alternatively, any two of them, the Deputy-Judge-Advocate being one. The Court, which first assembled in May 1815, was empowered to hear and determine all pleas where the sum in dispute was not more than £50 sterling. There was no right of appeal.
The Rules and Orders of the Governors Court were drawn up by the Judge-Advocate, Ellis Bent. They included rules allowing attorneys to practise, regulations concerning the issuing and returning of writs, the keeping of court records, the execution of judgements and rules for pleading. The Mitchell Library holds a printed copy of the Rules and Orders annotated by Deputy-Judge-Advocate Sir John Wylde and containing additional rules in his own hand. Sir John Wylde was appointed Deputy-Judge-Advocate of New South Wales in 1815 at a salary of £1200. He held this position until 1824.
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