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A petty sessional division was, in England and Wales, the area that a magistrates' court had jurisdiction over (before the abolition of quarter sessions, specifically the petty sessions). Petty sessional divisions were gradually consolidated in the 20th century (being reorganised in 1953 under the ), and were replaced by local justice areas in 2005. Petty sessional divisions were formalised under the (9 Geo. IV c.43), but they had existed informally for centuries as arrangements within the counties themselves. * v * t * e * v * t * e