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A 'court of honor' (or, 'court of honour') is a semi-official or unofficial tribunal constituted to determine various questions of social protocol, breaches of etiquette, and other allegations of breaches of honor, or entitlement to various honors. In English the term is also a homophone for the architectural term ''Cour d'Honneur.''

Contents

The courts of chivalry

Duelling

In Scouting

Reference

The courts of chivalry

The Court of Chivalry was at one time also known as a "court of honour". In British law, the court of chivalry was a court held before the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable; since the abolition of the office of the Lord High Constable, it has been conducted by the Earl Marshal alone. It was established by a statute 13 Ric. II c.2. This court had jurisdiction to try cases concerning contracts and other matters concerning deeds and acts of war. The court of chivalry also has jurisdiction over disputes regarding heraldry and rights to use coats of arms. The court of chivalry is not a court of record, and as such has no power to enforce its decisions by fine or imprisonment; as such it became relatively disused. It is not obsolete, however, and cases have been brought before the court of chivalry as recently as 1954.

Duelling

A court of honor can also be a military court to investigate and issue judgments concerning acts or omissions which are considered to be unbecoming to an "officer or a gentleman", but which do not rise to the level where they are considered crimes triable under military law. A court of honor is also the name given to a tribunal of noblemen who would decide whether a grievance over a point of honour rose to the level warranting a duel, and if so set rules for its fair conduct.

In Scouting

''Main Article: Court of Honor (Scouting)''

In Boy Scouts of America, a court of honor is a ceremony in which ranks and other awards are presented to the Scouts who earned them. In the South African Scout Association, a Court of Honour consists of all the Patrol Leaders and it assists in the running of the troop. This is known as a Patrol Leader's Conference (PLC) in the US.

Reference

★ Blackstone, William, III Bl.Comm 5.II, p.
★ 68; III Bl.Comm. 7.II, pp.
★ 103-104