Petty Sessions

The burden of work for the Quarter Sessions gradually increased to such an extent that another court was required to take on some of the minor cases and routine business. By the beginning of the 18th century magistrates began to organise regular divisional meetings called Petty Sessions. From 1848 they were required to send details of fines, depositions and case papers to the Clerks of the Peace at the county Quarter Sessions. Under the Juvenile Offenders Act of 1847 returns of juvenile convictions also had to be made to the Quarter Sessions.
These records are often found amongst the Quarter Session records.

The records of the Stipendiary Justice and Borough Magistrates can be found amongst the records of the Borough Quarter Sessions from 1864 onward and normally consist of depositions and convictions similar to those for the Quarter Sessions. Magistrate court registers exist from 1898 giving summary details of the cases. Separate court registers for the Wolverhampton Petty Sessional Division date from 1872 and are held at Wolverhampton Archives & Local Studies. Prior to this date it is possible that some records were filed at the Staffordshire Quarter Sessions held at Staffordshire Record Office.

Licensing

In 1872 the regulation and licensing of all beer shops came under the control of justices of the peace. For Wolverhampton registers of licences survive from 1872 for the Magistrates' Court (which covered the central part of Wolverhampton) and the Wolverhampton Petty Sessional Division (which covered surrounding areas). Prior to this date some records survive in the Staffordshire Quarter Sessions at Staffordshire Record Office and amongst national records some of which are held at the Public Record Office.

Licensing registers normally show date and particulars of the licence,

name and address of the public house,
name of licensee,
date and details of transfers of the licence,
disqualification of the premises,
and a record of any convictions.

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