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How did the Statute of Gloucester limit the power of local courts?
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Henry II (left) disputing with Thomas Becket (center), miniature from a 14th-century manuscript; in the British Library (Cotton MS. Claudius D.ii).
The Statute of Gloucester (1278) limited the power of local courts by restricting their jurisdiction and extending the scope of actions for damages.1
Beyond these jurisdictional constraints, the statute was instrumental in the crown's broader effort to consolidate royal authority. Through the quo warranto proceedings initiated under the statute, the king required magnates to demonstrate by what warrant—or legal right—they claimed to hold specific franchises and jurisdictional powers. This process sought to bring existing private franchises under royal control and prevent the unauthorized assumption of new ones, thereby curbing the independence of local authorities and strengthening the centralized legal system.23