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CHAPTER V.: PROCEDURE—ITS SUBJECT-MATTERS. - Jeremy Bentham, The Works of Jeremy Bentham, vol. 2 [1843]

Edition used:

The Works of Jeremy Bentham, published under the Superintendence of his Executor, John Bowring (Edinburgh: William Tait, 1838-1843). 11 vols. Vol. 2.

Part of: The Works of Jeremy Bentham, 11 vols.

About Liberty Fund:

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CHAPTER V.

PROCEDURE—ITS SUBJECT-MATTERS.

As in the case of substantive law (constitutional law, penal law, and non-penal law included,) so here, in the case of procedure law, the subject-matters of legislation are distinguished into—

1. Persons.

2. Things immoveable.

3. Things moveable.

4. Money.

5. Occurrences.

Persons are distinguishable, for the purpose of the procedure code, into functionaries, and non-functionaries.

Functionaries into judicial functionaries, or non-judicial, or say extra-judicial functionaries. For a list of these functionaries, see Constitutional Code, Chap. XII. Judiciary collectively.

As to things immoveable, and their distinctions, see Constitutional Code, Chapter IX. Ministers collectively, § 7, Statistic function.

So, as to things moveable.

So, as to money.

So, as to occurrences.

Occurrences may be distinguished into judicial-procedure-affecting, and miscellaneous.

As to the judicial-procedure-affecting occurrences, they will be found comprisible under one or other of the four heads following:—

1. States of things.

2. Actions, or say operations, at large.

3. Actions, or operations, consisting in the utterance of judicial formularies.

4. Judicial formularies, or say instruments.

By a judicial formulary, or instrument, understand a written or quasi-written discourse, uttered on a judicial occasion, and for a judicial purpose, by some person or persons belonging to the list as above, of actors in the judicial drama, or on the judicial theatre.

In the case of each such actor, distinguishable in respect of the occasions as they occur in the course of the judicial drama,—will be the instruments which may come to be uttered by them as above.

Commenced, in every case, will be the judicial transaction, by some person acting in the character of an applicant, and not by the judge.

Exceptions excepted, on no occasion can the judge, as such, give commencement to any judicial proceeding. For exceptions, see Constitutional Code, Chapter XII. Judiciary collectively, § , Sedative function.

For purposes other than that of giving commencement to a suit, may judicial application be made to a judge.

So many species of applications, so many species of applicants.

Persons to whom written judicial instruments emanate from a judge, are either—1. Functionaries; 2. Non-functionaries.

Functionaries are, as above, either—1. Non-judicial; or, 2. Judicial.

Judicial functionaries are, with reference to a judge of the grade in question, either of the same grade, or of a different grade: if of a different grade, they are either of a superior or an inferior grade. Co-ordinates are those of the same grade; super-ordinates, those of a superior grade: subordinates those of an inferior grade. Subordinate to every judge are all non-functionaries.

On a special occasion, for a special purpose, a functionary who, in ordinary, or say in general, is, with reference to the judge in question, super-ordinate, may be subordinate.

Addressed to a subordinate functionary, or non-functionary, a written instrument, expressive of the discourse of a judge, is a mandate, a judicial mandate.

To the nature of the judicial mandate addressed to him, will be referable the nature of the response, if any, transmitted or addressed to the judge, in compliance with, or in consequence of it.

The persons to whom, in consequence of a judicial application made to the judge, judicial mandates are addressed, will be determined by the course taken by the application; and where the application is terminated in (and gives commencement to, and is thereby converted into) a suit, by the course taken by the suit.

The course taken by a suit is composed of, or say marked out by, the several operations, successively or simultaneously performed by the several actors, at so many successive times, posterior to the commencement of a suit.

The applicant, for whatsoever purpose applying, will, as above, have made his appearance without mandate, or judicial instrument of any other kind, received from the judge.

His examination for the day finished, the judge will either dismiss the application altogether, or continue it.