The Volost Court is a public peasant judicial body that existed in the 19th and early 20th centuries. He solved small problems between the peasants.
Special volost court for peasants made decisions only regarding minor acts committed against the same peasants on the estate. Let's talk about it in more detail.
Territory of the parish court
This trial took place in every estate. If the estates were small, then one small volost court was organized for these small villages. The local residents were considered one whole community.
The Volost Court made decisions regarding peasants living on the territory of the community. He had the right to dispose only of this estate.
Sessions of the volost court were held in a special room, which was allocated for this purpose. Later, special court buildings began to be built.
Composition
The volost court for peasants consisted of one chairman and two assessors. This composition was consideredminimal. Usually the calculation of the composition was determined as follows:
- if 500 men live in the estate, then the composition should be minimal;
- another assessor is added for every 250 men.
Each volost court provided for the presence of two substitutes (deputy assessors).
Substitutes could participate in decision-making only when the assessor cannot be present at the meeting, the issue of relatives or close friends of the judge is being decided.
Requirements for referees:
- members of the volost court are required to adhere to the same religion as more than half of the peasants of the estate;
- the candidate must have perfect behavior;
- age - at least 25 years old;
- if the candidate is an estate worker, the consent of the landowner was required.
Appointed to this position for one year.
Member of the volost court - it was a paid job. Judges received the salary that the volost assigned them. The substitute (substitute) received a salary only when he replaced one of the assessors for more than two weeks.
Judges had a number of privileges: they were not required to serve in the army and could not be physically punished.
Decision making
The Volost Court made decisions on the following issues:
- from 1861-1889 decisions were made if the claim value is less than 100 rubles;
- since 1889, decisions have been made if the claim value is less than 300 rubles;
- division of propertybetween peasants;
- legacy of peasants.
The court met twice a month. But at the initiative of the chairman, he could meet more often.
Punishments:
- community work from 1 to 6 days;
- fine up to 3 rubles, by the end of the 19th century the maximum fine was 30 rubles;
- arrest up to a week, by the end of the 19th century the maximum arrest period became a month;
- up to 20 lashes, by the middle of the 19th century this punishment was not applied to women, and this punishment did not apply to children under 14 years of age and the elderly.
Initially, the punishments were not subject to appeal, but a little later, the punished could appeal the verdict. In this case, a county or provincial judge could be invited to the volost court.
The verdict was executed by the headman of the estate, the local police or the volost foreman. In 1917 (after the February Revolution) the volost court was abolished and ceased to exist.
