Bailie

Bailie, a Scottish term, with several legal applications, but originally a mere doublet of bailiff. It popularly signifies a superior officer or magistrate of a municipal corporation in Scotland, with judicial and administrative authority within the city or burgh. The civil and criminal jurisdiction of the Burgh Court, however, is not extensive. In royal burghs, the office is in some respects analogous to that of Alderman in England. The chief-magistrate of a Scots corporation, called the Provost (q.v.), and often one or more of the bailies, are, in virtue of their office, in the commission of the peace; and bailies are exempted from serving on juries. There are also Bailies of Regality and Barony, who are appointed by the Superior or over-lord of the Manor (q.v.), with limited powers fixed by the Heritable Jurisdictions Act, 1747. There were also bailies of the four bailleries—viz. Carrick, Kyle Stewart, Cunningham, and Lauderdale. There is a bailie for the Sanctuary or Abbey of Holyrood, appointed by the Duke of Hamilton as hereditary keeper, and having jurisdiction within the precincts (see SANCTUARY). The word Bailie was also formerly a term in the practice of Scots conveyancing, and signified an officer who represented the seller, and who, as such, gave seisin or Sasine (q.v.), or delivery of the lands sold to the buyer or his attorney, the sheriff being bailie in crown land; but by the changes and simplifications effected by recent legislation, the office of bailie in this sense has been abolished.