A Special Justice of the Peace was appointed at Hankey as from 20 October 1879 (Government Gazette dated 7 October 1879, Proclamation No 114 of 1879). The Court of the Special Justice of the Peace was abolished in November 1952 (Government Gazette No 4969 dated November 1952, Government Notice No 2705 of 1952).

A Periodical Court was held concurrently at Hankey by the Magistrate of Humansdorp (see 1/HDP A1/1/1 – A2/3/2 in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Archives). The appointment of the Assistant Magistrate could not be traced in the Government Gazette but it has been ascertained from the records themselves that this took place in September 1952.