The meaning of the term bailiff has changed a number of times over the centuries. In Britain in medieval times, the title of this employee was a distinguished one, being used to denote an officer of the king who acted to collect fines and rent from peasants, enforce the law, make arrests and perform the direct orders of the king. It was therefore a position of great power and responsibility.
In many countries in Europe, this person was directly employed by the king or, sometimes by a count. He was responsible to make any orders the superior gave public.
Over time, the authority he was given decreased as the previous responsibilities were taken over by people with more specialized legal training. In modern days, this person can be regarded as any person who is given some authority over certain other people, property or possessions.
The absolute definition of a modern day bailiff differs between countries and even within regions in a country. In America, for example, he is known as an employee of a court of law who is charged with the duty to provide safety and security in the court. Often such people have the same authority as police officers, in terms of being able to arrest or detain people within the court room, if the situation so requires.
The designation of a bailiff varies somewhat in different states of America. For instance, a Circuit Court bailiff is a member of staff who has no law enforcement authority and who is not armed. Such a person basically is committed to provide wide-ranging services to the judge, the jury, and the other members of staff working in the courtroom, so as to ensure the proceedings and hearings proceed normally. Their role is mainly attributed to helping in maintaining order within the courtrooms.
Some are also known as peace officers. These officers are responsible to enforce the law and to provide security to court rooms in New York, for example. These peace officers have the authority to carry firearms at all times, and are able to make arrests and even dole out fines to traffic offenders. In other states, bailiffs are simply administrative assistants who are in charge of meeting the needs of the jury and the court staff.
In the United Kingdom, there are quite a few types of civil servants that can be referred to by the term of bailiff. Many of these in fact still have certain duties that a medieval bailiff used to have. These include collecting fines and carrying out orders to collect any outstanding debts, as well as general law enforcement.
Learn more about bailiff law and what your rights are at www.payplan.com.
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