Judiciary Reforms-1864

Question 1

How was law and order carried out prior to the reforms in 1864?

Answer 1

-A judge had examined written evidence usually prepared for by the landowner and police.
-no jury system,no lawyers and no examination of witnesses
-guilty until proven innocent-judge’s decision was final.

Question 2

What were the conditions to the judiciary reforms of 1864?

Answer 2

• a single system of courts established equality before the law. The accused was presumed innocent until proven guilty and could employ a lawyer
  -criminal cases were heard before barristers and a jury selected from lists of property owners
  Judges were appointed by the tsar and given improved training and pay.
  -local justices of peace were elected every three years by the zzemtva and were to be independent from political control
  -courts were opened to the public and proceedings could be reported.

Question 3

What were the limitations to judicial reforms?

Answer 3

Articulate lawyers could criticise the regime
The new juries sometimes acquitted the guilty out of sympathy. A new decree was therefore issued permitting political crimes to be tried by special procedures