The Judicial System

The “Mādiyān Hezār Dādestān” speaks of two levels of judges, viz. the lower-level judges and the higher-level judges, based upon their judicial competency. In case when one of the disputing parties appealed against the verdict issued by a lower-ranked judge, the case would be referred to a higher-ranked judge while the highest judicial authority of the country, i.e. the “Mobedān-e Mobed”, hailed as the highest priest of the country. Ever since the days of Ardeshir, a great importance was attached to the legal system of the country. However, according to the “Mādiyān Hezār Dādestān”, it was during Anurshirvān’s times that major amendments came to be made in the judicial system and the official stamp was handed over to the judges by the king for sealing legal verdicts. In certain special cases, two judges presided over the legal proceedings while at times a panel comprising prominent judges and mobeds would also be formed. This text also includes the scope of authority and the duties of the judges and discusses issues relating to testimony and trial proceedings in detail.

* source: Pakatchi , Ahmad "Iran Entry" The Great Islamic Encyclopedia. Ed. Kazem Musavi Bojnourdi.Tehran: The Center of Great Islamic Encyclopaedia , 1989-, V.10 ,pp.623