§3. Courts of chancery were established, it is believed, in a majority of the old states. But separate and distinct organizations called chancery courts, now exist in but a few states; the power to try suits in equity having been given to the judges of the common law courts. §4. Suits _in equity_ are not commenced as suits _at law_. The plaintiff prepares a bill of complaint, the facts stated in which are sworn to by himself. The bill, which contains a petition or prayer that the defendant may be summoned to make answer on oath, is filed with the clerk of the court, who issues a subpœna commanding the defendant to appear before the court on a day named. A trial may be had on the complaint and answer alone; or witnesses may be introduced by the parties. The case is argued by counsel, and a _decree_ is pronounced by the court, which the court has power to carry into effect. §5. There is another kind of courts which are in their nature different from ordinary law courts, and are called _probate courts_. There is in every county a probate court held by a _judge of probate_, whose duties relate to the proving of wills and the settling of the estates of persons deceased. A _will_ is a writing in which a person gives directions concerning the disposal of his property after his death. The Latin word _probatus_ means proof; from which _probate_ has come to be applied to the proving of a will. (See Wills and Testaments.) In the state of New York the judge of this court is called _surrogate_, and the court is called _surrogate's court_. §6. There is still another court in every state, which is not a common law court. It is the _court of impeachment_. The name is applied to the senate when sitting on a trial of impeachment. An _impeachment_ is a charge or accusation against a public officer for corrupt conduct in his office; as if a governor, for money offered him, should approve and sign a law; or a judge should, for money or from some other selfish or personal motive, give a wrong judgment. The constitution gives to the house of representatives the power to impeach, and to the senate the power to try the persons impeached. This practice has come from Great Britain, where the impeachment is made by the house of commons, and the house of lords is the high court of impeachment.