Appropriate Route to the Court and the Functions of Social Belonging: A Study into the Legal Proceedings in Medieval Japan

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K23149
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0105:Law and related fields
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University (2021); Tohoku University (2019-2020)
• Principal Investigator: KUROSE Nina 立命館大学, 衣笠総合研究機構, 特別研究員 (70844843)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-08-30 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 日本中世法 / 訴訟手続 / 院政 / 鎌倉時代 / 本所 / 帰属と保護 / 正当化 / ネットワーク

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study has researched the litigation process in medieval Japan (mainly the 11-14th centuries). Analysis of the utilization of human ties (social belonging and relationships) in accessing the court and of the discussions in court on the ways of filing an action has revealed the followings:
The first is the effectiveness of re-understanding the "HONJO-HOUTEI SHUGI (superiors'/proprietors' court principle)." Existing literature proposed this concept as a judicial principle in the 11th and 12th centuries. However, I suggest shifting the viewpoint and seeing it dynamically.
Second, I have observed a concrete image of lawsuits from a case in the 13-14th centuries, which seems very close to political petitions. Also, there was an inconsistency between the behavioral pattern when the parties secure or utilize various social relations that can be the routes to the court and the normative recognition regarding where to file a complaint.

Free Research Field

日本中世法制史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年の諸研究は、旧来の研究が復元してきた静態的制度像を相対化し、訴訟制度の流動性を重視するが、本研究では、出訴者が自らの行為を正当化しうる主張根拠を確保せんとする試みの中に、「本所」（≒上司・領主、帰属先）の法廷の価値を位置づけた。制度史的文脈で扱われてきた要素を訴訟の動態の中に再定位することにより、近年の実態論的研究が従来の制度史研究と切り結びうるポイントを見出したといえる。