Efficency of the Romano-Canonical Procedure in Civil Matters With Reference to Statuti, et Ordini da Osservarsi nel Castello d’Orsera e Contado (1609 and 1768 AD)

Sa？etak Because of the most evident characteristics of the Romano-canonical procedure in civil matters (which are manifested in the emphasis on the parties’ debates, evaluation of evidence that was prescribed by law, and the imperative that all acts taken during the process should be in written form), the study of the means and modes in which effectiveness in general and low-cost effectiveness in particular, as well as procedural discipline were achieved in this type of procedure emerge as an important topic. These goals of the Romano-canonical procedure may be simultaneously studied in the universal and particular contexts because the legal concepts were shaped on both levels on the case-by-case principle. In the first part the paper provides an analysis of the use of universal procedural means for balancing various procedural values whose main purpose was to prevent procedural abuses and, at the same time, to retain the procedure’s effectiveness. The analysis refers to the relevant sources of universal Roman-canon law (decretals, the Church council’s decisions and the medieval procedural treaties) and indicates the general procedural trends in this field. The second part of the paper discusses a particular source of the Romano-canonical procedure – Statuti, et ordini da osservarsi nel Castello d’Orsera e Contado ... which was issued by the bishop of Pore？ in 1609 (and transcribed in 1768). The bishops of Pore？ had exercised civil powers in the County of Vrsar for many centuries until 1778. The former (particular) source is presented and discussed here with reference to the effectiveness of the procedure because it reliably depicts how the procedure in civil matters in a particular territorial-political unit of the Church operated for centuries