Examples from the case law in the ancient Serbian system of justice

• Main Author: Joksić Ivan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bar Association of Vojvodina, Novi Sad 2015-01-01
• Series: Glasnik Advokatske komore Vojvodine
• Subjects: legal institutions; criminal law; judgment; justice; penalty; serbia
• Online Access: https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0017-0933/2015/0017-09331512589J.pdf
• ISSN: 0017-0933; 2683-5967

The development of the criminal law started at the time of creation of first states and legal institutions in which the criminal law provisions were codified. The development of the criminal law in Serbia is connected with the creation of medieval Serbian state and first codifications which primarily represented the reception of Byzantine legal institutions. Adoption of Dusan's Code (1349-1354) is a novelty in the development of criminal law in Serbia. This legal document has several copies and the texts are not completely the same. The time of Ottoman's invasion on Balkan brought the dark period in the development of Serbian criminal law. The legal spirit in Serbia was almost dead at this period and Sharia law applied on its territory. The gradual freedom from Ottoman's power and the beginning of state independence were the preconditions for the creation of first legal institutions (Constitution). In the first part of 19th century we may find written examples of first court trials that were ruled by the act of Duke's office. Based on available material collected by the author in the course of writing of monograph under the title 'Revealing and Punishing of Crimes in Serbia' in co-authorship with professor Zivojin Aleksic Ph.D., we will present the original examples of the judgments in Serbia that were passed by the competent public authorities.