The regional court in Piotrków 1876–1915

Abstract

The article illustrates internal organization and manning of the regional court in Piotrków during 40 years of its existence. It used to be one of 10 regional courts in The Kingdom of Poland, which had jurisdiction as courts of first instance over major civil and criminal matters. It differs from other courts because of its dynamic increase in the number of judges and development of its internal structure. In 1876 it began to function in a typical manning containing president of the court, two vice presidents and six judges and was divided into criminal, civil and mortgage departments. It finished its activity during the World War I in the manning containing president of the court, four vice presidents and twenty six judges and was divided into three criminal departments, three civil departments and a mortgage department. In the last years of its activity, there were four Polish judges in its manning (eight in the entire judiciary) and the only Pole who held the vice presidential post. In Polish judiciary, which had been opened in 1917, vice president of the regional court in Piotrków, Stanisław Srzednicki, became the First President of the Supreme Court, and judge Antoni Żydok became a judge of the Supreme Court.