Judges and Notaries
The presiding officer of the consistory court a bishop or lesser prelate was an ordinary judge usually styled “official.” Prelates by definition possessed right “ordinary jurisdiction,” which is to say that they were usual and customary judges disputes disciplinary infractions among faithful who subject them. At pinnacle church's hierarchy, pope claimed jurisdiction over all Christians, although in practice he normally authorized auditors Roman Rota, Audientia litterarum contradictarum, other papal tribunals exercise it on his behalf. Similarly, archbishops, bishops, abbots, archdeacons, deans, prelates routinely deputized officials commissary deal with most matters fell under their jurisdiction.
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