Local court of Eupen

Collection description

Collection

Country:: Belgium

Holding institution:: State Archives in Eupen

Holding institution (official language):: Staatsarchiv Eupen

Postal address:: Kaperberg 2-4, 4700 Eupen

Phone number:: +32 (0)87 55 43 77

Web address:: http://www.arch.be/index.php?l=de&m=praktische-informationen&r=unsere-lesesale&d=eupen

Email:: staatsarchiv.eupen@arch.be

Reference number:: SA-Eupen-531-3-13

Title:: Local court of Eupen

Title (official language):: Amtsgericht Eupen

Creator/accumulator:: Rechtbank van eerste aanleg; Tribunal de première instance

Date(s):: 1908/1950

Language:: German

Extent:: 23 linear metres

Scope and content:: In this fonds we note the file no. 257 from the series Abwesenheitspflegschaften (foster care in absence) related to [A.L.M.], “Jew” emigrated to London, for the years 1942-1944.

Administrative/biographical history:: The creation of the Rechtbank van eerste aanleg / Tribunal de première instance (‘Court of first instance’) in 1800 was the result of the judicial reforms following the constitution of 22 Frimaire of the year VIII. Today, Belgium counts 28 courts of this type. The Court of first instance is composed of four sections. The civil court is in charge of civil cases (regarding amounts of over €1,860), cases regarding descent, divorces, inheritances, intellectual property, etc. It deals with appeals against (certain) judgements of the Justice of the Peace and Police Courts. There are also accelerated proceedings (‘kort geding’). The correctional court judges criminal offences (wanbedrijven, e.g. theft, fraud, assault, sexual offences) and criminalised felonies (misdaden), and it deals with appeals against criminal judgements of Police Courts. The juvenile court (created in 1966) has a number of competences regarding minors who have committed criminal offences, find themselves in a problematic home situation, require particular protection, etc. Finally, there are six courts for the application of sentences (strafuitvoeringsrechtbanken, created in 2007). Judgements of the Courts of first instance can be appealed before the Hof van Beroep (Court of Appeal). Due to their broad competences, the archives of these courts are of major importance for researchers. Among the main series of sources of the civil courts we note the registers, conclusions, minutes (of witness hearings, visits to crime scenes etc.), reports of sessions and judgements taken in public hearing. There are also judgements and court orders by request (for example name changes, pro bono assistance, homologation of deeds, minutes of family councils). Regarding the correctional court, we notably point out the files about the administration of justice and the files about waiver of prosecution or deferral of justice. Finally, we also mention the extra-judicial function of courts, resulting in the presence of e.g. registers of documents deposited at the court clerk’s office (for example copies of civil status registers or notarial repertories, expert reports), registers of declarations of people waiving their rights in a succession, etc. (http://justitie.belgium.be/nl/rechterlijke_orde/hoven_en_rechtbanken/rechtbank_van_eerste_aanleg/; K. Velle & P. Drossens, “De rechterlijke macht”, in P. van den Eeckhout & G. Vanthemsche (ed.), Bronnen voor de studie van het hedendaagse België 19e – 21e eeuw. Tweede herziene en uitgebreide uitgave, Brussel, Koninklijke Commissie voor Geschiedenis / Commission Royale d’Histoire, 2009, pp. 619-650.)

Access points: locations:: Eupen

Subject terms:: Holocaust; Migration; Migration--Emigration

Access, restrictions:: Consultation of documents less than 100 years old requires the authorisation of the Procureur-Generaal bij het Hof van Beroep of Liège.

Finding aids:: Archiv des Amtsgerichts Eupen (1908-1950). Inventar des Amtsgerichts Eupen (1940-1944), Nachtrag 2009, 2010., X48 (Rijksarchief te Eupen), Brussel, ARA-AGR, 2010.

Yerusha Network member:: State Archives of Belgium

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