The administration of justice in rural societies of the New Kingdom of Granada, 1739-1803

This article analyzes the administration and operation of the justice system through three cases occurred in the rural regions of the provinces of Santa Marta, Cartagena and Antioquia. These cases involved various institutions and authorities that also administered justice. We conclude that the administration of justice in rural neo-Grenadian societies recreated a world politicized by the same characteristics of the justice being dispensed: jurisdiction-based, diverse, and with various elements taken from custom. The article also shows other nuances such as the existence of institutions and authorities in constant communication with the centers of viceroyal power.