«Impressions of a jurer» by G.S.N. as a source for studying the Russian jury trial of the late XIXth century

Abstract

The document Impressions of a Juror is analyzed as a personal account of an anonymous author, G.S.N., who recounted his experiences as a juror in legal proceedings in the Russian Empire in the late 19th century. Both external and internal criticism of the source is conducted, facilitating the establishment of the approximate place, time, and purpose of its creation. Furthemore, the socio-psychological portrait of the author is reconstructed, considering aspects such as social affiliation, level of education, place of residence, and certain psychological characteristics. The analysis acknowledges the uniqueness of Impressions of a Juror, which not being a part of mainstream historical sources, remain a distinctive work. On the other hand, it shares characteristics inherent in other personal documents from jurors of the Russian Empire in the second half of the 19th century, particularly regarding its general character, presentation style, and the scope of covered issues. It is noted that the factual value of the source under consideration is limited, as it does not allow for the comprehensive reconstruction of the judiciary and legal proceedings in the Russian Empire, nor does it facilitate a complete understanding of the criminal cases under consideration. Despite these limitations, the conclusion is drawn that Impressions of a Juror holds cognitive value due to its provision of information not found in other historical sources. The document offers details that breathe like into the specifics that were previously only studied on the basis on normative legal texts, and official statistics. Thus while the source may not provide an all-encompassing view of the legal landscate of the Russian Empire, it contributes a unique perspective that enriches the understanding of historical proceedings.