THE FIRST YEARS OF THE HALYCH DISTRICT COURT FUNCTIONING (1435–1440): PARTICIPANTS AND THE NUMBER OF SESSIONS

Abstract

The article describes the beginning of work of the Halych district court in 1435–1440. The oldest court records published in 1887 in the multi-volume edition Akta Grodzkie i Ziemskie comprise the material of the research. Based on the analysis of the court records, the paper reproduces frequency and gradual seasonality of court sessions. It demonstrates that the Halych district court worked based on changes introduced to the Crown law in the 1420s. Participation of court officials and their deputies – komorniks – in court sessions is analysed. In addition, the article separately covers participation of assessors, those who held the districts and castles governments in the Halych Land of the Ruthenian Voivodeship and in the neighbouring administrative(territorial units of the Kingdom of Poland – the Lviv Land and the Podolia Voivodeship.