Administration of Justice Act - Definition

The Administration of Justice Act, passed by Britain's Parliament and becoming law on 20 May 1774 is one of the measures (variously called the Intolerable Acts, the Punitive Acts or the Coercive Acts) that were designed to secure Britain's jurisdiction over her American dominions.

The act effectively abolished the local administration of justice, providing that the Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony could direct that any inquisition, indictment or appeal be tried in Great Britain or in another British Colony, providing for coercing any witnesses to appear at such a trial, and requiring bail for any person accused of a "capital crime in the execution of their duty".