Stelle Ut unusquisque iudex in suam civita...; ([I] Ratchis Leges p. chr. 745 vel 746 (745 - 746), MGH, LL 4, 1868 (F. Bluhme), p. 183) [5402]

Basic Information
Keywords
ID 5402
Text [I] Ratchis Leges p. chr. 745 vel 746 (745 - 746) Ratchis
Quotation Ut unusquisque iudex in suam civitatem debeat cottidie in iudicium residerer… Sed si quis iudex amodo neglexerit arimanno suo diviti aut pauperi vel cuicumque homini iustitiam iudicare amittere debeat honorem suum et conponat in palatio regis widrigild suum et illi conponere debeat qualiter edicti continet pagina cui iustitiam iudicare neglexerit…
Translation Each judge shall hold court every day in his district… If, in the future, any judge neglects to do justice for a freeman (arimannus), rich or poor, or for any other man, he shall lose his office and pay his wergeld as composition to the king's treasury; and he shall likewise pay composition to the man for whom he neglected to judge justly in accordance with the provisions of our lawbook… (Emended from K. Fischer-Drew, trans., The Lombard Laws (1973), p. 216)
Summary Ratchis, No. I begins by stating that every judge should hold court in their district daily, then continues to admonish on how this should be done. Particular emphasis is given to stating that the judge himself should preside, not delegate the duties; establishing composition payable to the palace should the judge be neglectful of his duties; that lesser ranking legal officials should be held to the same measures. The law also refers to the number of pleas that are brought to the royal court, and that people should first seek justice from their judge before coming to the king. The law gives a dating clause for when the content is valid.
Quotation source MGH, LL 4, 1868 (F. Bluhme), p. 183
Temporal Coverage 745 - 746
Associated use case(s)
Comment The Ratchis Leges (I) form part of the Leges Ratchis [Text, ID:1116] and in turn are part of the collected Edictus Langobardorum [Text, ID:984].