There are many pages of George Martin's books devote to the head of house or Hand to the King sitting in a lofty chair dispensing with edicts, fines, punishments or compensation to those peasants and others who come to the local castle to receive justice or assistance in some matter. It is very similar to a judge in court. A few of the incidents are clues about the over arcing plot of the story, but much of it is simply mundane to catch a glimpse of what goes on at court.