The Collaborative International Dictionary
Trial by certificate
Certificate \Cer*tif"i*cate\, n. [F. certificat, fr. LL. certificatus made certain, p. p. of certificare. See tify.]
A written testimony to the truth of any fact; as, certificate of good behavior.
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A written declaration legally authenticated.
Trial by certificate, a trial which the testimony of the person certifying is the only proper criterion of the point in dispute; as, when the issue is whether a person was absent in the army, this is tried by the certificate of the proper officer in writing, under his seal.
--Blackstone.