A STUDY IN LEGAL ADMINISTRATION AND RECORDS SHARON ...

his course has already interfered with the discharge of his duties?
It was during Wood's tenure that The Orders of the Court of Queen's
Bench in Equdy, Wnh Forms was published." Equity side had been using niles,
known as 'Taylor's Chancery Orders," which were those of Ontario's Chancery
Co~rt.~ The new publication, Wtten by Chief Justice Wood and Puisne
Justices Joseph Dubuc and James S. Miller, probably received impetus from the
act of 1881 respecting Queen's Bench in Equity. The act stated, "The Court of
Queen's Bench may make and publish general orders ....na> In response to that
directive the new book of orders treated three main subjects: officers of the court
were named and their responsibilities identified; former orders were listed for
cancellation; and standard foms were designated for Equity use. The forms
corresponded to detailed functions of the court and included bills, affÏdavits,
praecipes, decrees and orders. Continued maintenance of court documents
received special ernphasis under the order:
The care and custody of al1 documents to be
deposited for safe keeping, or produced under any
order of the court.6'
Wood died of a stroke in October 1882, while hearing a case in court. He
had been the first chief justice to hold the position for an appreciable length of
time. Of him it was said, '... it will be well to remember that it was his lot to do
the chopping, slashing and ctearing, so to speak, of a new country. And if the
work was not omamental or artistic, it was at least usefu~?~
Wood's successor, Lewis Wallbridge, was named Chief Justice in