The Decemviri Litibus Iudicandis was a civil court of ancient origin (traditionally attributed to King Servius Tullius ) which mainly dealt with cases concerning whether an individual was free. Originally it was a 10-man tenure jury under the presidency of the magistrate, but later became the lower judiciary (magistratus minores) of the Republic, elected by the Tribal Assembly and part of vigintisexviri ("twenty-six men").
History
According to Suetonius and Dio Cassius during the principality, Augustus moved to these decemviri the presidency in the courts of Centumviri ("hundred men"). With the imperial law, the decemvirate also had jurisdiction in capital crimes.
References
Decemviri Litibus Iudicandis Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA