[XXXI-13] Salv., Mem. Sec. Gobern., 1875; Id., Diario Ofic., March 17, 1875.
[XXXI-14] Trial by jury in criminal cases was first established in Aug. 1832, but being found impracticable, owing to the ignorance of the masses, it was abolished. Dunlop's Cent. Am., 186. The system was restored by the constitution of 1872. Salv., Diario Ofic., Oct. 17, 1875.
[XXXI-15] The supreme court is composed of eleven magistrados, one of whom is the president. In San Salv. there are two chambers of 2d resort with two justices in each, and one of 3d resort composed of the president and the two senior justices. A majority of the magistrados constitutes the full supreme court. There is also a chamber of 2d instance in San Miguel, and another in Santa Ana. Seven suplentes or substitutes fill temporary absences of the incumbents, three for the capital, and two for each of the others. No magistrado, or judge of a court of first resort, can hold office in the executive or legislative departments of the government. The supreme court-martial was abolished by law of Aug. 31, 1875. Military courts of first instance existing in the depts were suppressed, excepting that in the capital, and their functions devolved on the comandantes. Salv., Diario Ofic., Sept. 3d-8th; Id., Gaceta Ofic., Sept. 13, 1876.
[XXXI-16] Presid. Zaldívar, Mensaje, Jan. 14, 1878.
[XXXI-17] The 1st chamber of 2d instance in the capital, 1,736; the 2d, 1,889; that of Santa Ana, 2,323; and the one at San Miguel, 1,370. Salv., Mem. Sec. Rel. Just., etc., 1879; Salv., Diario Ofic., June 26, 28, July 4, 13, 1878.
[XXXI-18] The Livingston code of Louisiana with trial by jury was established in 1836, but suspended in 1845. Dunlop's Cent. Am., 192; Sandoval, Rev. Polít., 22. The organic law of the courts is dated July 4, 1857, and underwent modifications Sept. 3, 1858. Rocha, Cód. Nic., ii. 167-98; Nic., Dec. y Acuerdos, 1859, ii. 27-8; Informe, Min. Gobern., 1859.
[XXXI-19] The former has jurisdiction over the depts of Leon, Chinandega, and Segovia; and the latter over those of Granada, Rivas, Chontales, and Matagalpa. Lévy, Nic., 344.
[XXXI-20] There is in each department or district a court for civil and criminal affairs; but in largely populated departments there is also a court of criminal jurisdiction. Rocha, Cód. Nic., ii. 217, 244-316. There should also be a juez de agricultura, and a juez de la mesta, under existing laws. Cases involving only $100 are acted upon verbally; all others in writing.
[XXXI-21] Nic., Informe Min. Fomento, 1869; Id., Dec. y Acuerdos, 1871, 123-33; Id., Gaceta, March 18, Apr. 1, 22, June 3, 1871; El Porvenir de Nic., Oct. 22, 1871; Feb. 25, 1872; Nic., Mem. Min. Hac., 1872; Id., Informe Min. Gobern., 1875.
[XXXI-22] 'Los pleitos, por decirlo así, se eternizan, y es muy raro ver uno que llegue á concluirse.' Mensaje del Presid., Marzo 1871.