Lietuvos Vyriausiojo Tribunolo veikla XVIII amžiaus antroje pusėje

Описание

The aim of this research was to conduct a thorough analysis of the activities of the Lithuanian Supreme Tribunal (henceforth – LST) in the second half of the 18th century. The LST presided over appeals made by nobles on verdicts reached at lower-tier courts in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (land, castle and chamberlain courts). The following objectives were set: to analyse the nature of the reforms carried out in the second half of the 18th century affecting the organisation and competency of the LST and to reveal their impact on the quality of the court's work; to examine the objective (time, place, political circumstances) and subjective (clientele, bribery of judges, nepotism) factors affecting the work of the LST in the second half of the 18th century; to present comprehensive descriptions of cases deliberated in the LST in the second half of the 18th century (based on case types and their interrelation, distinguishing instances of violations of competency); to compile lists of chancery clerks, lawyers, procurators, tax collectors and public prosecutors who worked for the LST in 1765–1792, determining their functions and clarifying trends in the formation of modern age professional lawyers; to reveal the legal practices of the LST, factors affecting the application of legal norms and principles for the argumentation of verdicts, and to describe the most important stages in the legal process.