Jean explained that such courts gave the lord of the manor the means to control his estate and his people. (A village could be comprised of one or more manors.) The courts often continued in use for centuries after the disappearance of serfdom. Indeed, in exceptional cases they survived into the 20th century! A court baron dealt with land, including transfers between tenants, whilst a court leet dealt with petty misdemeanours.
To illustrate how things worked, Dr. Stirk had members of the audience read parts from a light hearted play, representing a typical late 18th century court. She explained the many unfamiliar terms. Such court records can be invaluable for family historians, when most of our ancestors lived on manors. Survival of such records is variable, and they are held in many different places, but we were advised to look locally, first.
Michael Lucas