Quaderno práctico en quatro libros [Cuaderno de prácticas judiciales]. Una práctica procesal del siglo XVIII

The 18th century was characterized, both in the Iberian Peninsula as in the American Indias, by the proliferation of «procedural practices» designed to serve as guides to the judges of the lower courts, mostly laymen, or to the notaries. Some of them were published by the press, but many others remained in their original condition as manuscripts. Over time, most of these manuscripts were lost. In these pages is edited a 1767 manuscript which includes a «practical quaderno», from an anonymous author, for civil, business and criminal trials by magistrates and mayors. The level of knowledge and performance of judges at the lowest and least known stratum of the justice of the Old Regime can be seen here.