Introduction to the Dossier: Justice administration in the Río de la Plata: agents, competencies and practices (17th to 19th centuries)

Abstract

The current Dossier gathers research papers who, based upon judicial sources,  approach different aspects of the complex process of everyday  justice in the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata first and the Argentine State later. The roles of diffrent agents -that is  justice administrators, plaintiffs and defendants-  as wel as justice social and political uses framed by complex overlaps of jurisdictions and powers. We hope it will contribute to the critical reflexion, the debate and interdisciplinar dialogue about the administration of justice during  the colonial and republican times, two key historcal periods.