Gordeeva Mariia A.,
Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, Novosibirsk, Russia; Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia, e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Old Popularity of Peasant Superiors’ Judicial Functions Among Peasants of the Tomsk Province in the Early 20th Century
DOI: 10.31518/2618-9100-2019-6-10
The article considers judicial functions in the activities of peasant superiors of the Tomsk Province after the introduction in 1898 of the “Temporary Regulation on Peasant Chiefs in the Provinces of Tobolsk, Tomsk, Yeniseisk and Irkutsk”. The creation of this institution was intended to establish a uniform and effective mechanism for the collection of duties and control over all spheres of activity of the peasantry. The performance of judicial functions by peasant superiors is considered in this article as one of the criteria for assessing the effectiveness of their activities in the Tomsk province. The author considers main judicial and appellate functions of officials; analyzes the mechanism of filing appeals: from filing a complaint through the county court to its consideration at the county congress of peasant superiors. The main reasons for the applicants’ appeals to peasant superiors are mentioned: fraudulent documents in court proceedings, incorrect testimony or kinship relations of the parties and witnesses, incorrect interpretation of facts by the court, prejudgment of judges. The author found that the judicial and appellate functions of the peasant superiors were effective and useful to the peasants. A large number of appeals filed against decisions of the county courts indicate the authority of the peasant superiors in this matter. The complaints mechanism was simple and understandable, and therefore actively used by peasants in everyday life.
Publishing: 30/12/2019
How to cite: Gordeeva M.A. Old Popularity of Peasant Superiors’ Judicial Functions Among Peasants of the Tomsk Province in the Early 20th Century // Historical Courier, 2019, No 6 (8). P. 121–128. [Available online:] http://istkurier.ru/data/2019/ISTKURIER-2019-6-10.pdf
Links: Issue 6 2019
Keywords: Tomsk province; history of Siberia; peasant superior; rural self-government; county (volost) court