and these questions with the answers form the
_precognition_. More serious cases are dealt with by the Sheriff of each
county, and capital charges must be dealt with by the High Court of
Justiciary. In Scotland the verdicts of the jury may be 'guilty,' 'not
guilty,' or 'not proven.'

2. =The Magistrate's Court or Petty Sessions= is also a court of
preliminary inquiry. The prisoner may be dealt with summarily, as, for
example, in minor assault cases, or, if the case is of sufficient
gravity, and the evidence justifies such a course, may be committed for
trial. The fee for a medical witness who resides within three miles of
the court is ten shillings and sixpence; if at a greater distance, one
guinea.

In the Metropolis the prisoner in the first instance is brought before a
magistrate, technically known as the 'beak,' who, in addition to being a
person of great acumen, is a stipendiary, and thus occupies a superior
position to the ordinary 'J.P.,' who is one of the great unpaid. In the
City of London is the Mansion House Justice-Room, presided over by the
Lord Mayor or one of the Aldermen. The prisoner may ultimately be sent
for trial to the Central Criminal Court, known as the Old Bailey, or
elsewhere.

3. =Quarter Sessions.=--These are held every quarter by Justices of the
Peace. All cases can be tried before the sessions except felonies or
cases which involve difficult legal questions. In London this court is
known as the Central Criminal Court, and it also acts as the Assize
Court. In Borough Sessions a barrister known as the _Recorder_ is
appointed as sole judge.

4. =The Assizes= deal with both criminal and civil cases. There is the
_Crown Court_, where criminal cases are tried, and there is the _Civil
Court_, where civil cases are heard. Before a case sent up by a lower
court can be tried by the judge and petty jury, it is investigated by
the _grand jury_, which is composed of superior individuals. If they
find a 'true bill,' the case goes on; but if they 'throw it out,' the
accused is at liberty to take his departure. At the Court of Assize the
prisoner is tried by a jury of twelve. In bringing in the verdict the
jury must be unanimous. If they cannot agree, the case must be retried
before a new jury. At the Assize Court the medical witness gets a guinea
a day, with two shillings extra to pay for his bed and board for every
night he is away from home, with his second-class railway fare, if there
is a second c