Abstract: | The institution of the Ethiopian emperor's power to adminaster justice has survived to the present; one of the forms has been that of jurisdiction in chilot, in the exercise of which the Emperor has the power to set aside a judgement in a case and render the final decision. The author first compares the historical development of the institution of chilot with the development of the King's justice in England, Next he examines the legal basis of chilot today in the light of the constitution and the laws. The legal basis is the prerogative of the sovereign to do justice. Finally he discusses the nature of chilot jurisdiction and its relationship to the courts and the respective functions of both institutions. |