Lord Steward’s Court

The Lord Steward's Court was a historical English court with jurisdiction over offenses and felonies committed by the king's servants within the palace's verge (a 12-mile radius). This court, along with the Marshalsea Court, had civil and criminal jurisdiction in cases involving members of the royal household.1

The office of Lord Steward itself originated as a domestic role in the royal household, evolving to hold significant political importance, especially under the Tudors and Stuarts. While its duties are now largely ceremonial, the Lord Steward remains the first dignitary of the court and is always a peer and privy councillor. The Lord Steward's Court and the Marshalsea Court were abolished in the mid-19th century.1