HISTORY

Before the creation of a separate Judgeship for Hazaribagh District, i.e., up to 3rd April 1949, the judicial staff maintained for the purpose of civil justice consisted of the Judicial Commissioner of Chotanagpur, whose headquarters were at Ranchi, the Deputy Commissioner and the Sub-Judge, who dealt only with the execution of decrees and certain insolvency and succession cases. There were two Munsifs, one at Hazaribagh and another at Giridih, and one Sub-Divisional Officer-Munsif at Chatra. The Munsif of Giridih also assisted in the disposal of rent suits in his special capacity as Deputy Collector. Additional Munsifs were appointed from time to time to manage the increasing workload. Until 1957, civil suits up to the value of Rs. 4,000/- were decided by the permanent Munsif, suits up to Rs. 1,000/- by the Additional Munsif, and cases above Rs. 4,000/- by the Additional Subordinate Judge. Whenever the court of Additional Subordinate Judges was abolished, one of the Senior Deputy Magistrates of Hazaribagh would be given ex-officio powers of a Sub-Judge. The Additional Subordinate Judge was also authorized by government notification to handle succession cases up to the value of Rs. 10,000/-, insolvency cases up to Rs. 5,000/-, and appeals up to Rs. 200/- in his court. In Chotanagpur, rent suits were tried by the Revenue Courts rather than Civil Courts. Appointments and dismissals of Civil Court staff working in the Hazaribagh District were carried out by the Judicial Commissioner of Chotanagpur.

Before the establishment of the Judgeship, criminal justice in Hazaribagh was administered by the Judicial Commissioner of Chotanagpur, the Deputy Commissioner (vested with extended powers under Section 30 of the Criminal Procedure Code), Sub-Divisional Magistrates, other Magistrates, and Honorary Magistrates vested with various class powers. The Judicial Commissioner visited Hazaribagh periodically on circuit duty to hear criminal cases arising within the district. He also heard appeals from decisions made by First-Class Magistrates, while the Deputy Commissioner heard appeals from decisions of Second and Third-Class Magistrates.

The Judgeship of Hazaribagh was created in 1949. Since then, the judicial staff for civil justice in the district has comprised the District Judge of Hazaribagh, headquartered at Hazaribagh, a permanent Sub-Judge, two Munsifs (one at Hazaribagh and the other at Giridih), and a Sub-Divisional Officer-Munsif at Chatra. On the criminal side, the district came to include a Sessions Judge, an Assistant Sessions Judge, the Deputy Commissioner, Deputy Magistrates, Sub-Deputy Magistrates, and Honorary Magistrates. It is also pertinent to mention that there were a significant number of cases under the Motor Vehicles Act, primarily due to accidents occurring on the hilly roads of the region.