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First published 1963 (DOST Vol. III).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Justiciary, n.¹ Also: -ari(e, justitiary, -ey. [med. L. justitiaria, -ciaria. Cf. Justery and Justicery.]

1. The jurisdiction of a Justice within a specified district. = Justery n. 1.[1318 Acts I. 107/1.
Quod ballivus in cuius ballia talis malefactor moratur habeat mandatum iusticiarii infra cuius iusticiariam transgressio facta fuit [Skene Regiam Majestatem ii. 21 b: ane command of the justitiar within quhais justitiarie the crime is committed] quod sit attachiatus [etc.]] 1415 (15..) Reg. Brechin I. 36.
Eschaetis or ischeis of courtis of ȝowris or of the justiciaris [v.r. justris] pertenand til our lord the King within ȝour bailȝery

2. The office or jurisdiction of a Justice or of the Justices. Freq. court of justiciary (= Justice-court), commission of justiciary (i.e. for trying criminal causes). Also justiciary general, deputie.(1) 1464-5 Charter (Reg. H.) C.O. No. 60.
A rolment of courte of the justice ayre ... vndir the sele of office of justiciarie 1474 Treas. Acc. I. 68.
Gevin to the Justice, Schire Dauid Guthere, … for his fee of this ȝere of his office of justiciary, j^c li. 1506–7 Reg. Privy S. I. 200/1.
To have made … Thomas Hoppringill bailȝe of our sade Port of Grace … and to use the office of justiciary within the bondis of the samyn Ib. 201/1.
To do onything in hurt … of thir our lettrez of balȝery and justiciary 1533 Boece ii. xiii. 88 b.
King Evene … statute that all sorte of justiciarie within Brigancia suld fra thine to discrecioun of Cadall be committit 1576 Reg. Privy C. II. 5 16.
Exemit … fra the said Johnne now Erll of Atholl, his collegis quhatsumevir, justices or lieutenentis within the boundis of Atholl … , thair deputtis, offciaris, offices and jurisdictioun of justiciarie and lieutenendrie Ib.
Bringand with him his commissioun quhairby he clamit to have power of justiciarie ower the said James Menȝeis c1575 Balfour Pract. 650.
The other sort of commissiounis passis upon signatouris … and sic are commounlie grantit for justiciarie and punishment of transgressouris 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 234.
All manir of wnlawis competent to him as proveist … be wertew of the libertie of this burgh … and speciallie be wertew of the justiciarie and regall power 1610 Highland P. III. 119.
The Duke of Lennox [etc.] … made to be content with a simple power of iusticiarie within their awne boundis allanlarie 1633 Acts V. (1870) 77/1.
That notwithstanding of the renunciatioun … be the said Archibald lord of Lorne … of the office of justiciarie generall of the haill kingdome … the said Archibald … sould haue … the heretable office of justiciarie within the bounds … of … Argyll and Tarbatt [etc.] 1633 Justiciary Cases I. 226.
In his … dilligent discharge of his office of justiciarie deputie of this our kingdome of Scotland thir mony ȝeiris by gane a1691 Kingston Contin. Ho. Seytoun 57.
He agreed also with the archbishop of St. Andrews for the confirmation of … the office of justitiary of all the lands and regallities pertaining to the said archbishoprick 1693 Acts IX. 324/2.
Commissions of justiciary … for the bounds of the Highlands … excepting therefrae the bounds and lands lying … within the heritable right of Justiciary General pertaining to the Earle of Argyle(2) 1504 Treas. Acc. II. 441.
Payit to Lord Gray, to his expens cumand to Edinburgh to hald ane court of justiciary on the Heriotis for slachter of the lard of Fentoun 1541 Reg. Privy S. II. 605/1.
With power to the said Olyver … courtis of justiciary, schirefschip, admirallie and baillierie … to sett 1557 Crim. Trials I. i. *397.
At the quhilk day, eftir the presenting of the said Jhone … in jugement, in ane fensit court of justiciarie 1582 Reg. Privy C. III. 500.
Courtes of justiciaire [sic] to be haldin ower all partes of his realme … be his hienes justices and commissioners speciallie appointit to that effect 1584 Kirkcaldy B. Rec. 100.
The court of justiciarie of our sourane lord, haldin and begun at the jebett, on the commoun lon of Kirkcaldie 1623 Peebles Gleanings 5.
The burrow court of justiciarie of the burgh of Peblis, haldin in the tolbuith thairof 1654 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 142.
Fried and dischargit of and from all … appeareing at or in any ethir lords and superiores courts of justiciarie, regalitie, steuardrie, baronie, bailȝierie(3) 1516 Reg. Privy S. I. 413/1.
In punissing of commoun theves [etc.] … efter the forme of commissioun of justiciary gevyn to hym under the testimoniale of our grete sele thairupone 1550 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 151.
Oure souerane lady … ordanis ane commissioun of justiciarie to be maid … makand … Frances Tennent, prouest of Edinburgh, hir justice in that parte within … Edinburgh and fredome thairof 1564 Reg. Privy C. I. 284.
Forsamekill as it hes plesit the Quenis majestie to grant twa severall commissionis of justiciarie to Mathow Campbell … and Johnne Wallace … , for halding of justice courtis … within the Baillierle of Kyle Stewart 1579 Acts III. 146/1.
And that all … jugeis ordinar quhatsumeuir put the saidis actis to executioun vpoun the contravenaris thairof and to that effect grantis … to thame power and commissioun of iusticiarie 1587 Ib. 457/2.
That all speciale commissionis of justiciarie be maid be signatouris to pas the quarter seill in tyme cuming 1628 Stirling's Royal Lett. 295.
Whareas wee have directed commissiones of justiciarie to eight of our judges and senatouris of the Colledge of Justice to keep justice airs and justice courtis in all the four quarters of that our antient kingdome

3. The Justiciary, as an official body. Freq. clerk of (our, our soverane lordis, the, etc.) justiciary (= Justice-clerk n.), clerkship of.(1) 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 551.
Sir Johnne Bellenden … [to bring in] the seillis of justiciarie on the south and north sydes of the wattir of Forth 1633 Justiciary Cases I. 226.
Justice depute in the office of Justiciarie within this our kingdome of Scotland 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 76.
Her proces [was] ordained to be delait out of the recordes of the justiciarey generall 1684 Erskine Jrnl. 84.
They had the power of the Justiciary as well as of the Council (by a particular commission from the King) and so of forfeiture, fining [etc.] 1690 A. Shields Grievances and Sufferings 21.
Act 17. ratifying … what hath been done by the Privy Council, justiciary, or those commissionated by them, in banishing … such as refused to take the oath of allegiance(2) 1486 Exch. R. IX. 614.
Master Richard Lauson, clerk of oure justiciary 1493 Acts II. 234/2.
And that the clerk of the justitiary sall tak dittay thairupoun 1512 Justiciary Rec. MS. (Reg. H.) III. 316.
Clerk of oure justiciary, it is our will … that ȝe … draw furth of our adjornall George Campbel [etc.] 1524 Reg. Privy S. I. 501/2.
M. James Wischert … clerk of justiciarie and advocate to the Kingis grace 1534 Crim. Trials I. i. 168*.
Nicholace Craufurd … , clerk of our souerane lordis justiciary 1587 Acts III. 461/1.
Immediatlie efter that the said assyse hes chosin thair chanceller, the clerk of the iusticiarie sall inclose the said assyse thame allane 1623 Hume Comment. Crimes (1844) II. 16.
Clarke of our justiciarie generall [and] maistir of the ceremoneis at the creatioune of all earles [etc.] … and of all uther solemne assembleis … within the said kingdom of Scotland 1626 Justic. Cases 60.
Desyreing my lord Justice depute … to … admit Jon Bannatyne wryter as clerk depute to the said Sir George in the clerkschip of Justiciarie 1629 Ib. 126.
Justice deputis and clerk deputis in the office of Justiciarie, quhairas [etc.](3) 1684 Erskine Jrnl. 29.
This day Mr Authony Shaw compeared before the Lords of Justiciary, being panneled for preaching in a churchyard 1683 Martine Reliq. Divi Andreae 75.
If … the lords of the King's justiciary proceed to punish crimes … committed by the archbishop's vassells, his baillie … may prevent them 1690 Acts IX. 225/2.
Remit of the Proces of Treason to the Lords of Justiciary 1693 Kirkcudbr. B. Rec. MS. 20 June.
In regaird the magistrats are to attend the Lords of Justiciary at Dumfreis the said tyme(4) 1671 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 273.
The counsell understanding that the Lords Commissioners of Justiciarie for the circuit court wer … to be heir tomorrow 1673 Justiciary Rec. II. 207.
The Lords Commissioners of Justitiary ordains the forsaid cautioner to be received 1704 Acts XI. 152/2.
For the more effectual payment of the Commissioners of Justiciary their sallaries

b. A justice ayre or justice court. 1533 Boece ix. x. 311.
Gif ony persoun war be the authorite of the preistis separate fra dyviue service he … suld nocht be herd in court nor justiciarie

4. The office of carrying out the sentences of the law by the execution of convicted criminals. 1605 Glasgow B. Rec. I. 233.
The proveist [etc.] … desolat of ane executour to execute the hie justice [on] malefactouris, hes acceptit … the said John to be thair executour in the said justiciarie