Volost Court

the lowest court of the peasant class in prerevolutionary Russia, separate from the general court system. Composed of the chairman and three judges, the volost (small rural district) court heard the civil and criminal cases most common in the life of the peasants. The volost courts were established in 1861; the Temporary Rules of the Volost Court were adopted in 1889. The judges of the volost court were elected by the district congress. Volost courts were abolished in 1917.