Ecclesiastical courts

Ecclesiastical \Ec*cle`si*as"tic*al\, a. [See {Ecclesiastical},
   a.]
   Of or pertaining to the church; relating to the organization
   or government of the church; not secular; as, ecclesiastical
   affairs or history; ecclesiastical courts.
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         Every circumstance of ecclesiastical order and
         discipline was an abomination.           --Cowper.
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   {Ecclesiastical commissioners for England}, a permanent
      commission established by Parliament in 1836, to consider
      and report upon the affairs of the Established Church.

   {Ecclesiastical courts}, courts for maintaining the
      discipline of the Established Church; -- called also
      {Christian courts}. [Eng.]

   {Ecclesiastical law}, a combination of civil and canon law as
      administered in ecclesiastical courts. [Eng.]

   {Ecclesiastical modes} (Mus.), the church modes, or the
      scales anciently used.

   {Ecclesiastical States}, the territory formerly subject to
      the Pope of Rome as its temporal ruler; -- called also
      {States of the Church}.
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ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS. English law. Courts held by the king's authority as 
supreme governor of the church, for matters which chiefly concern religion. 
     2. There are ten courts which may be ranged under this class. 1. The 
Archdeacon's Court. 2. The Consistory Court. 3. The Court of Arches. 4. The 
Court of Peculiars. 5. The Prerogative Court. 6. The Court of Delegates, 
which is the great court of appeals in all ecclesiastical causes. 7. The 
Court of Convocation. 8. The Court of Audience. 9. The Court of Faculties. 
10. The Court of Commissioners of Review.