Subjects: Right of action

Sometimes a litigant might have the right to prosecute an action in more than one type of court. Litigants might seek redress both in the consistory court and elsewhere.

The Chester Consistory Court normally heard causes brought by parties resident in the archdeaconry of Chester. Persons resident in the archdeaconry of Richmond, which formed part of the diocese of Chester, would normally bring their causes to the Richmond consistory with right of appeal to York. However, very occasionally Richmond causes were heard in Chester.

The surviving records of the Richmond Consistory Court are held by Lancashire Archives.

Chester Exchequer

Where a dispute involved money, sometimes both the Chester Exchequer and the Chester Consistory Court were involved.

EDC 5/1575/3 – John Vawdrey and Richard Vawdrey contra Ralph Calveley

Secular court (unspecified)

EDC 5/3/1 – Sir Richard Brereton contra Thomas Valentine; in this cause it was claimed that the right to receipt of certain tithes had been alienated in lieu of wages