This study investigates the function and administrative efficacy of papal judges delegate within the province of Canterbury during the thirteenth century. Jane E. Sayers, a noted scholar of medieval ecclesiastical administration, utilizes an extensive collection of primary case records to reconstruct the judicial framework of the medieval Church. The work argues that these local courts were essential to the expansion of papal authority and the standardization of legal procedures across England.

Historians and legal scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the practical application of canon law in medieval England. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous and comprehensive look at administrative history.