AULIC, an epithet given to certain officers of the empire, who compose a court which decides, without appeal, in all processes entered in it. Thus we say, aulic council, aulic chamber, aulic counsellor.
The aulic council is composed of a president, who is a catholic; of a vice-chancellor, presented by the archbishop of Mentz; and of eighteen counsellors, nine of whom are protestants, and nine catholics. They are divided into a bench of lawyers, and always follow the emperor's court; for which reason they are called iustitium imperatoris, the emperor's justice, and aulic council. The aulic court ceases at the death of the emperor, whereas the imperial chamber of Spire is perpetual, representing not only the deceased emperor, but the whole Germanic body, which is reputed never to die.