Nisi Prius. n.s.

[In law.] A judicial writ, which lieth in case where the inquest is panelled, and returned before the justices of the bank; the one party or the other making petition to have this writ for the ease of the country. It is directed to the sheriff, commanding that he cause the men impanelled to come before the justices in the same county, for the determining of the cause there, except it be so difficult that it need great deliberation: in which case, it is sent again to the bank. It is so called from the first words of the writ nisi apud talem locum prius venerint; whereby it appeareth, that justices of affizes and justices of nisi prius, differ. So that justices of nisi prius, must be one of them before whom the cause is depending in the bench, with some other good men of the county associated to him. Cowel.