In early 19th Century, the conditions were very different. Civil suits were tried solely by the Sadar Amin at Panipat who adjudged cases according to Muhammadan law. The language of the court was Persian till 1836. No stamps were affixed on the petitions till 1830.During the latter part of the 19th century, munsif was appointed in the district who had jurisdiction within Karnal and Panipat tehsils and in pargana Assandh of the Kaithal tehsil. He held his court alternately for two months at Karnal and two months at Panipat. Besides the honorary magistrates conferred with various powers exercised magisterial jurisdiction within the limits of their respective jagirs and in the town Kaithal and Karnal.By the beginning of the twentieth century the civil judicial work was placed under the supervision of a District & Sessions Judge, Karnal. He had under him two subordinate judges stationed at Karnal and two munsifs stationed one each at Karnal and Kaithal respectively. Practically, all the civil work done by them, but a few civil suits were sent to the Sub-Divisional Officer, Kaithal. The Honorary Magistrates continued to have jurisdiction in various parts of the district for civil Judicial work.Till the separation of the judiciary from the executive in 1964, the administration of civil judicial work in the district was handled by the District and Sessions Judge, Karnal who was assisted by the Senior Sub Judge, Karnal and three sub judges, one each at Karnal, Panipat and Kaithal. An Additional Sub Judge III class was appointed at Karnal in 1965. After the separation of the two functions the Senior Sub Judge and Sub Judges I Class had been vested with the powers of a Judicial Magistrate I Class. The additional Sub Judge III Class enjoyed the powers of Judicial Magistrate II Class.Vide notification no. Leg. 25/95, dated 20.10.1995, the posts of Subordinate Judges were re-designated as Civil Judge (Sr. Division) and Civil Judge(Jr. Division) and the following classes of Civil Courts were classified.1. The Court of District Judge2. The Court of Additional District Judge3. The Court of Civil Judge(Sr. Division)4. The Court of Civil Judge(Jr. Division)