Judicial Reform 1864

• A further consequence of the emancipation of the serfs was that the judicial rights that landlords had over their serfs no longer applied.
• There needed to be substantial reform of the Russian legal system to replace the old feudal system of justice.
• From 1864 onwards, the Tsar had to bring in important measures.
• Legal proceedings were conducted in public and could be reported freely in the press.
• Access to the law was uniform for all classes in society.
• Judges were independent of the government and were provided with better pay and training.
• Local Justices of the Peace were elected every 3 years by the zemstva.
• The Tsar did retain the right to impose martial law during times of emergency such as the terrorist activity in the 1870s.
• However, these legal reforms marked a substantial improvement in the quality and access to the legal system for most Russians.