Also justitiar, -cier. [ad. med.L. jūstitiārius: cf. next. Justiciar and justiciary are not contemporary names, but appear in the 15th and the 16th c., respectively, as adaptations of the med.L. See also JUSTICER.]
1. Eng. Hist. The chief political and judicial officer under the Norman and early Plantagenet kings, who represented the king in all relations of state, acting as regent in his absence and as royal deputy in his presence, and presiding over the Curia Regis. Called more fully Capital or Chief Justiciar: = JUSTICIARY sb.1 1.
The office of justiciar came to an end in the 13th cent., his judicial functions passing to the Lord Chief Justice.
[a. 1135. in Rymer Fœdera, I. 12. Coram me vel capitali Justiciario meo. Ibid. (1214), 181. Sciatis quod constituimus Justiciarium nostrum angliæ Venerabilem patrem nostrum Dominum P. Winton. Episcopum.]
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1656), 449, note. The Greek hath it only thus, ‘are called Victory,’ as it were in the abstract, as we call Our Lord Chief Justice, who is but a Justiciar.
1598. Stow, Surv., xxxii. (1603), 288. Hubert, ArchBishop of Canterburie, and Iusticier of England [in the year 1197].
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. vi. § 3. Robert Earle of Leicester, Chiefe Iusticiar of England.
1876. Freeman, Norm. Conq., V. xxiv. 432. The Justiciar, chief administrator of the law,… was, while his office lasted, the most powerful subject in the realm.
2. A judge presiding over, or belonging to, one of the king’s superior courts, or exercising special judicial functions: = JUSTICE 9 a. Obs. exc. Hist.
[1215. Magna Charta, c. 18. Mittemus duos Justiciarios per unumquemque comitatum per quattuor vices in anno.
c. 1220. Jocelin, Chron. (Camden), 71. Venit tamen in questionem coram justitiariis ad scaccarium.
c. 1250. Bracton, II. I. vii. § 2. Habet etiam [rex] curiam et iustitiarios in banco residentes … Habet etiam iustitiarios itinerantes de comitatu in comitatum.]
1485. Rolls Parlt., VI. 348. The offices of Lieutenauntshipp, Justiciar and Chamberlaynshipp, of Carmardeynshire and Cardeganshire.
c. 1575. Balfour’s Practicks (1754), 140. Without speciall command of the King, or of the Justiciar of the forest.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. ix. (1623), 626. Another of the Kings Justiciars … was so confidently greedy that in one circuit he appropriated to himselfe aboue two hundreth pound lands.
1640. Yorke, Union Hon., 14. Roger de Clifford … whom the king had despatched into those parts, as Justiciar of all Wales.
1897. F. W. Maitland, Domesday & Beyond, 101. French justiciars and French clerks have become the exponents of English law.
b. In Scotland, under the early kings, the title of two supreme judges, having jurisdiction north and south of Forth respectively. Obs. exc. Hist.
[1318. Sc. Acts 13 Robt. I., c. 4 § 2. Ballivus in cuius ballia talis malefactor moratur habeat mandatum iusticiarii infra cuius iusticiariam transgressio facta fuit.]
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 21. [transl. prec.] The Ballie or Judge, within quhais jurisdiction the malefactor dwelis, sall haue ane command of the Justitiar, within quhais Justitiarie the crime is committed. Ibid., 58. It is statute that Justitiars salbe beath vpon the southside, and the northside of the water of Forth.
1828–40. Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), I. 248/2. William the Lion … appears to have changed or new-modelled these offices, by the creation of two great judges named Justiciars.
3. gen. An administrator of justice; one who maintains or executes justice: = JUSTICER 1, 2.
1623. Kings of Scot., in Harl. Misc. (Malh.), III. 462. He was a good justiciar, in whose time there was a law made, that [etc.].
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Poems, 195. Ah spare this Monument, great Guests it keeps, Three grave Justiciars.
1651. N. Bacon, Disc. Govt. Eng., II. xxvi. (1739), 115. The Duke of Suffolk … he suffered to be tried … for a Murder done upon a mean person, and by such means obtained the repute of a zealous Justiciar.
a. 1734. North, Life Ld. Guildford (1808), I. 2. Considering the value of this great justitiar [Lord Keeper North].
4. Used to designate various foreign officials and functionaries.
1851. Sir F. Palgrave, Norm. & Eng., I. 86. He was one of the Commissioners or Justiciars deputed to England as soon as Richard died.
1898. Daily News, 25 Oct., 3/3. The narrative is put into the mouth of Hugo Gottfried, only son of the hereditary Executioner. For fourteen generations the Gottfrieds have held the office of Justiciar.
† 5. Theol. = JUSTICIARY 5. Obs.
1772. J. Fletcher, Logica Genev., 120. Against whom have you employed your pen … Is it only against the proud justiciars?
Hence Justiciarship, the office of justiciar.
1677. Spottiswood’s Hist. Ch. Scot., App. 36. King Charles … gave him the hereditary Justiciarship.
1867. Pearson, Hist. Eng., II. 2. The intrusion of foreign favourites into bishoprics and Justiciarships.
