Jueces y pleitos. La administración de la justicia en la baja Extremadura en el Antiguo Régimen

Abstract

This article addresses the workings of royal justice in the law courts of several villages situated in the south of Extremadura under the Ancien Régime, using legal documents from local archives as sources. Firstly, it explores the evolution of the jurisdictional limits, paying special attention to the struggle of the village councils to defend their independence against the nobility and other powers. The administration of justice was basically undertaken by a limited number of officials, and used a number of very unsuitable prisons. However, these circumstances did not prevent the local tribunals from resolving a large number of lawsuits, involving all kinds of cases, in which the litigants belonged to a variety of social and economic ranks. Finally, the article examines the lawsuits dealing with libel and insults, which are an excellent way for the study of local conflicts and openly show the social differences and inequality before the law.