Justices In Eyre

In English law, the Justices in Eyre were the highest magistrates in forest law, and presided over the court of justice-seat, a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers. (Eyre, meaning "circuit", refers to the movement of the court between the different royal forests.)
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These were certain judges established, if not first appointed, when England was divided into certain circuits and three justices in eyre, or justices itinerant as they were sometimes called, were appointed to each district and made the circuit of the kingdom once in seven years for the purpose of trying causes. They were afterwards directed by the Magna Carta to be sent into every county once a year. The itinerant justices were sometimes mere justices of assize or dower, or of general gaol delivery, and the like.
   

This entry contains material from Bouvier's Legal Dictionary, a work published in the 1850's.