Kingdom of Cochin justice system

Desavazhis and Naduvazhis were allowed in the Kingdom of Cochin to resolve disputes under the existing customary legislation. The emperor himself had been addressing more important matters. In 1812, during the Diwanship of Colonel Munro, in the Kingdom of Cochin, graded law courts were created for the first time in its history. Colonel Munro established the first Subordinate Courts (Sub-Courts) at Trichur (Thrissur) and Tripunithura. Huzur Court was the final appeals court until 1835.

Huzur Court had a three magistrates bench power. The Huzur Court was later reconstituted as Rajah's Court of Appeal was reconstituted, and subordinate courts were reconstituted as Zilla Courts. The Zilla Courts have been provided with full jurisdiction, but subject to Rajah's Court of Appeal confirmations. In 1900 the Court of Appeal of Rajah was reconstituted as Cochin's supreme court. Cochin's Supreme Court had three permanent judges, one of whom served as its chief judge. Mr. S. Locke was elected first Chief Judge. Later, during Sri's Diwanship, the Cochin Chief Court was reconstituted as the High Court. Chettiyar: Shanmukham.

After India gained independence  the Travancore and Cochin Kingdoms were united on 1 July 1949 to create the Travancore-Cochin State or Thiru-Kochi. Later the Travancore-Cochin High Court was created under the Travancore-Cochin High Court Act (1949) at Ernakulam on 7 July 1949. Mr Puthupally Krishna Pillai was Travancore-Cochin's last Chief Justice of the High Court.

The State Reorganization Act, 1956, was passed on 1 November 1956 thus merging the State of Travancore-Cochin with the district of Malabar and Kasaragod in order to create the present State of Kerala. Kerala's High Court, as it is today, was established as the State of Kerala appointed by the High Court on 1 November 1956.