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 Metz; and of 18 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 justitium 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.