A Study Of Grand Court Of Revision In Tang-dynasty

As is different from some researchers' viewpoints, Grand Court of Revision in Tang Dynasty was not a highest judgment organization in central government, but a special judgment organ. The legal power of Grand Court of Revision included sentencing central government's officials involved in cases of servitude penalty or above, and judging capital common criminals captured by Lord of the Imperial Insignia. In the first year of Guangde, Grand Court of Revision acquired the power of rechecking cases of banishment penalty and death penalty which had been judged firstly by local government. The cases judged by Grand Court of Revision also should be rechecked by Board of Punishments.There were perfect inner system in Grand Court of Revision, including system of discussion and joint signature, system of judgment time limit and system of judgment responsibility ...etc.. Grand Court of Revision usually inquisited important or difficult cases with Board of Punishments and The Censorate jointly, which was called "Judicature by Three Department". As was similar with Grand Court of Revision, The Censorate and Board of Punishments were also judicial organs in central government, and the two organs both owned the power of censoring Grand Court of Revision. However, Grand Court of Revision, which was in a comparatively weaker position in the three central judicial organs, lacked the power of anti-censoring. In the meantime, There were relationships of different degree between Grand Court of Revision and other organs.The later part of Tang-dynasty saw a descent trend of the position of Grand Court of Revision, the legal power of Grand Court of Revision also contracted continuously. Consequently, its officials were looked down upon by people in that times, which resulted in a series of problems. In history, Tang-Dynasty's Grand Court of Revision play a part of link between the same organs which emerged before and after it.