The Collaborative International Dictionary
Puisne \Puis"ne\, n. One who is younger, or of inferior rank; a junior; esp., a judge of inferior rank.
It were not a work for puisnes and novices.
--Bp. Hall.
Puisne \Puis"ne\ (p[=u]"n[y^]), a. [See Puny.]
Later in age, time, etc.; subsequent. [Obs.] `` A puisne date to eternity.''
--Sir M. Hale.Puny; petty; unskilled. [Obs.]
(Law) Younger or inferior in rank; junior; associate; as, a chief justice and three puisne justices of the Court of Common Pleas; the puisne barons of the Court of Exchequer.
--Blackstone.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"junior," c.1300 in Anglo-Latin, from Old French puisné "born later, younger, youngest" (see puny).
Wiktionary
a. 1 (context legal English) Inferior in rank. A puisne justice of a court is a judge other than the chief justice. 2 (context obsolete English) Later in age, time, etc.; subsequent. 3 (context obsolete English) Puny; petty; unskilled.
Wikipedia
Puisne (; from Old French puisné, modern puîné, later born, younger (and thence, inferior); Lat. postea, afterwards, and natus, born) is a legal term of art used mainly in British English meaning "inferior in rank". It is pronounced like the word puny. That word, in the anglicized spelling, has become an adjective meaning weak or undersized.
The judges and barons of the common law courts at Westminster, other than those having a distinct title, were called puisne. By the Supreme Court of Judicature Act 1877, a " puisne judge" is deemed a judge of the High Court other than the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice of England, the Master of the Rolls, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and the Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, and their successors respectively.
Puisne courts existed as lower courts in the early stages in the judiciary in British North America, in particular Upper Canada and Lower Canada. The justices of the Supreme Court of Canada other than the Chief Justice are still referred to as puisne justices.
Usage examples of "puisne".
It was no hope of mine to step into a puisne judgeship, or, for the matter of that, any other judicial position.
Wood, the Puisne Judge, a very genial, elderly man, called and took me to his house, where I found a very pleasant party, Sir Thomas Sidgreaves, the Chief Justice, Mr.
But here comes the plaintiff, I suppose--you shall hear the case, and act as a puisne judge in the matter.
British Columbia presided over by a chief justice and five puisne judges, and there are also a number of county courts.
Calcutta, a new tribunal should be established, consisting of a chief justice and three puisne judges appointed by the crown, a superiority being also given to Bengal over all the other presidencies.