Assizes

Assizes were periodic court sessions held in England and Wales, traditionally to hear serious criminal cases and major civil disputes. Originating in the medieval period, these courts operated outside of London, bringing justice closer to local communities. A judge, often accompanied by a jury, would travel to different locations to conduct trials. Assizes aimed to ensure fair trial processes and maintain law and order. They were eventually replaced by more centralized legal systems, with the last assize courts in England closing in the 1970s, reflecting the evolution of the judicial system.