The first part of the series consists of the continuing series of recorda files of the Court of King's Bench. By the seventeenth century it had become a Crown Side file, with the name of the current clerk of the crown written on its cover. When the contents of the file came to be written in English rather than Latin in 1733, it came to be entitled 'Record of orders and so forth'; in 1837 the file was divided into two, one for 'Record of writs and returns', one for 'Record of orders', but their style as medieval-type files was retained until 1886, when they became bundles.
The second part is made up of writs and returns consist principally of returns to writs of certiorari by local justices of the peace or recorders of boroughs of copies of orders which were to become the subject of further hearings before the court or, after 1875, the King's Bench Division. After 1889 they also include writs and returns for the election of coroners and verderers, and there are returns of lists of voters revised under 6 & 7 Vict c 18 and subsequent legislation. They are therefore very similar in general content to the recorda files of earlier centuries.The orders contain writs of certiorari removing cases from inferior courts, especially quarter or petty sessions, with copies of the relevant proceedings, and also copies of special cases stated by litigants wishing to have cases removed from the lower courts by certiorari.
The character of this series was modified between 1902 and 1912 to consist of motions and orders in cases brought in the King's Bench Division in civil suits.
In 1902 the orders are replaced by an annual bundle of motions for judgment in special and other cases and a series of volumes of orders on motions for judgement. Most of the remainder of the series consists of motions for judgment, including special cases, which arose particularly from statutes governing arbitration, town and country planning and highways. Registers of motions for judgment are included from 1929. Volumes of orders in special cases to 1966 include their own indexes, and from 1977 there are separate indexes.
There is also a register of industrial relations cases heard by a special judge following the abolition of the National Industrial Relations Court in 1974.
Chronological calendars of orders from 1844 to 1916 can be found in IND 1/6714 - IND 1/6716/4; calendars of writs and returns from 1844 to 1912 are in IND 1/6711 - IND 1/6712/3