Institutions of power and justice in the colonial period: the first courts (Bahia, Rio de Janeiro and MaranhãoThe Courts of Justice established in Portuguese America were legal institutions formed by judges who judged actions in the second or last instance, merging original and appeals competences, with jurisdiction over several counties. The purpose of this article is to make a comparative analysis of the process of creation of the first three courts established in Portuguese America, considering the different motivations that influenced and stimulated directly or indirectly the establishment of justice institutions in the tropics, in order to provide a better understanding of the political and legal functioning of relations.
Keywords:
government of justice; institution of justice; magistrate