Found 2 items, similar to justice of the peace.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: justice of the peace justice of the peace n : a local magistrate with limited powers
English → English (gcide) Definition: Justice of the peace Peace \Peace\, n. [OE. pees, pais, OF. pais, paiz, pes, F. paix, L. pax, pacis, akin to pacere, paciscere, pacisci, to make an agreement, and prob. also pangere to fasten. Cf. Appease, Fair, a., Fay, v., Fang, Pacify, Pact, Pay to requite.] A state of quiet or tranquillity; freedom from disturbance or agitation; calm; repose; specifically: (a) Exemption from, or cessation of, war with public enemies. (b) Public quiet, order, and contentment in obedience to law. (c) Exemption from, or subjection of, agitating passions; tranquillity of mind or conscience. (d) Reconciliation; agreement after variance; harmony; concord. “The eternal love and pees.” --Chaucer. [1913 Webster] Note: Peace is sometimes used as an exclamation in commanding silence, quiet, or order. “Peace! foolish woman.” --Shak. [1913 Webster] At peace, in a state of peace. Breach of the peace. See under Breach. Justice of the peace. See under Justice. Peace of God. (Law) (a) A term used in wills, indictments, etc., as denoting a state of peace and good conduct. (b) (Theol.) The peace of heart which is the gift of God. Peace offering. (a) (Jewish Antiq.) A voluntary offering to God in token of devout homage and of a sense of friendly communion with Him. (b) A gift or service offered as satisfaction to an offended person. Peace officer, a civil officer whose duty it is to preserve the public peace, to prevent riots, etc., as a sheriff or constable. To hold one's peace, to be silent; to refrain from speaking. To make one's peace with, to reconcile one with, to plead one's cause with, or to become reconciled with, another. “I will make your peace with him.” --Shak. [1913 Webster] Justice \Jus"tice\ (j[u^]s"t[i^]s), n. [F., fr. L. justitia, fr. justus just. See Just, a.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality of being just; conformity to the principles of righteousness and rectitude in all things; strict performance of moral obligations; practical conformity to human or divine law; integrity in the dealings of men with each other; rectitude; equity; uprightness. [1913 Webster] Justice and judgment are the haditation of thy throne. --Ps. ixxxix. 11. [1913 Webster] The king-becoming graces, As justice, verity, temperance, stableness, . . . I have no relish of them. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Conformity to truth and reality in expressing opinions and in conduct; fair representation of facts respecting merit or demerit; honesty; fidelity; impartiality; as, the justice of a description or of a judgment; historical justice. [1913 Webster] 3. The rendering to every one his due or right; just treatment; requital of desert; merited reward or punishment; that which is due to one's conduct or motives. [1913 Webster] This even-handed justice Commends the ingredients of our poisoned chalice To our own lips. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. Agreeableness to right; equity; justness; as, the justice of a claim. [1913 Webster] 5. A person duly commissioned to hold courts, or to try and decide controversies and administer justice. [1913 Webster] Note: This title is given to the judges of the common law courts in England and in the United States, and extends to judicial officers and magistrates of every grade. [1913 Webster] Bed of justice. See under Bed. Chief justice. See in the Vocabulary. Justice of the peace (Law), a judicial officer or subordinate magistrate appointed for the conservation of the peace in a specified district, with other incidental powers specified in his commission. In the United States a justice of the peace has jurisdiction to adjudicate certain minor cases, commit offenders, officiate at marriages, etc.; abbreviated JP. Syn: Equity; law; right; rectitude; honesty; integrity; uprightness; fairness; impartiality. Usage: Justice, Equity, Law. Justice and equity are the same; but human laws, though designed to secure justice, are of necessity imperfect, and hence what is strictly legal is at times far from being equitable or just. Here a court of equity comes in to redress the grievances. It does so, as distinguished from courts of law; and as the latter are often styled courts of justice, some have fancied that there is in this case a conflict between justice and equity. The real conflict is against the working of the law; this a court of equity brings into accordance with the claims of justice. It would be an unfortunate use of language which should lead any one to imagine he might have justice on his side while practicing iniquity (inequity). Justice, Rectitude. Rectitude, in its widest sense, is one of the most comprehensive words in our language, denoting absolute conformity to the rule of right in principle and practice. Justice refers more especially to the carrying out of law, and has been considered by moralists as of three kinds: (1) Commutative justice, which gives every man his own property, including things pledged by promise. (2) Distributive justice, which gives every man his exact deserts. (3) General justice, which carries out all the ends of law, though not in every case through the precise channels of commutative or distributive justice; as we see often done by a parent or a ruler in his dealings with those who are subject to his control. [1913 Webster]