RECORDS OF COUNTY COURTS: West London County Court

The County Courts as they now exist have their origins in the County Courts Act 1846 with modifications etc under the County Courts Acts of 1888 and 1934.

The area of jurisdiction of each court is set from time to time by the Lord Chancellor.

The original jurisdiction of the courts included claims of debt or for damages (except for libel, slander, seduction and breach of promise) not exceeding £400; claims for recovery of land (less than £100 rateable value); claims for the administration of estates, execution of trusts, foreclosure, redemption of mortgages; matters re maintenance of infants, dissolution of partnerships, relief against fraud or mistake where the value of the estates or property etc was not more than £500; contentious business in probate and administration matters where the estate was less than £1000.

The courts have had varied and extensive jurisdictions under numerous Acts including questions between husband and wife under the Married Women's Property Act 1882 and compensation for injured workmen by employers under the Workmen's Compensation Acts 1897 and 1925.

Post Office Directories in our History Library give lists of County Courts existing at any one time together with an account of the area covered by each court.

More recent decisions and judgements of County Courts can be found at the Registrar for County Court Judgements, Cleveland Street, London W1