High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Exchequer of Pleas or Court of Exchequer was a court that followed equity, a set of legal principles based on natural law, and common law, in England and Wales. Originally part of the curia regis, or King`s Council, the Exchequer of Pleas split from the curia during the 1190s, to sit as an independent, central court. With the Court of Chancery`s reputation for slow pace and expense, much of their business went to the Exchequer. The Exchequer and Chancery, with similar jurisdictions, drew closer together over the years, until an argument was made during the 19th century that having two seemingly identical courts was unnecessary. As a result, the Exchequer lost its equity jurisdiction. With the Judicature Acts, the Exchequer was formally dissolved as a judicial body by an Order in Council of 16 December 1880.