quarter sessions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A British local court of limited jurisdiction that sits quarterly.
2. n. A local court in the United States with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. A criminal court held quarterly in England by justices of the peace in counties (in Ireland by county-court judges), and by the recorder in boroughs, and having jurisdiction of minor offenses and administration of highway laws, poor-laws, etc. In several of the United States a somewhat similar court is known by this name.
2. In Scotland, a court held by the justices of the peace four times a year at the county towns, and having power to review sentences pronounced at the special and petty sessions.
3. Abbreviated Q. S.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Eng. Law) a general court of criminal jurisdiction held quarterly by the justices of peace in counties and by the recorders in boroughs.
2. n. (Eng.Law) See under Quarter.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a local court with criminal jurisdiction and sometimes administrative functions