Consular Jurisdiction: On the History of the Judicial Functions of Consulates (12th-20th Century)

For today's practitioners, the history of the judicial functions of consulates is far more colourful and obscure than modern consular law might suggest. Take, for instance, Consul Annibale de Rossetti in Egypt, who had to arbitrate a lawsuit between two German merchants and was completely overwhelmed. De Rossetti neither knew German nor was he familiar with the law he was expected to apply. Modern consuls often react with disbelief at the fact that their predecessors acted not only as judges, but also as regulatory authorities and bailiffs. This volume brings together contributions on the history of the legal roles and functions of consulates, spanning from America to China and from their origins in the Middle Ages to the modern consulate.

Contributors are: Marcella Aglietti, Eleonora Angella, Arnaud Bartolomei, Thibault Bechini, Giorgio Ennas, Ana Belem Fern嫕dez Castro, Juliette Fran蔞ise, Laura Galoppini, Sacha Gauthier Olssy, Thomas Gidney, Berna Kamay-Ulusay, Jessica Marglin, C嶮ric Quertier, Lars Regula, Victor Simon, J顤g Ulbert, and Dominique Val廨ian.

L'histoire des fonctions judiciaires des consulats est bien plus riche et obscure pour les praticiens d'aujourd'hui que ne le laisse penser le droit consulaire moderne. Par exemple, lorsque le consul Annibale de Rossetti, en 仩ypte, dut trancher un litige entre deux commer蓷nts allemands, il fut d廧ass?par la situation. De Rossetti ne connaissait ni l'allemand, ni le droit qu'il 彋ait cens?appliquer. Les consuls modernes r嶧gissent souvent avec incr嶮ulit?en apprenant que leurs pr嶮嶰esseurs exer蓷ient ?la fois les fonctions de juges, d'autorit廥 r嶲lementaires et d'huissiers de justice. De volume r徼nit des contributions portant sur l'histoire des r犨es et fonctions juridiques des consulats, de l'Am廨ique ?la Chine, depuis leurs origins au Moyen 櫂e jusqu'au consulat moderne.