The archive is quite varied and reflects the various configurations of the highest authority appointed to administer justice in the Novara area over the course of five centuries.
Internally divided into the Old Judiciary and a modern section, it consists of numerous complete series of both civil and criminal records and includes documents produced, during the pre-Unification period, by the following courts:
- Prefettura - Prefecture (1770-1786).
- Consiglio di giustizia - Court of Justice (1786-1800, 1814-1822).
- Corte criminale dipartimentale - Departmental Criminal Court (1804-1814).
- Tribunale di Prefettura - Prefecture Court (1823-1848).
- Tribunale di prima cognizione - Court of First Instance (1848-1855).
- Tribunale provinciale - Provincial Court (1855-1859).
In 1859, the judiciary body was renamed Tribunale di Novara - Court of Novara - as it became part of the Kingdom of Italy, before undergoing various name changes:
- Tribunale di circondario - District Court (1859-1865)
- Tribunale civile e correzionale - Civil and Correctional Court (1965-1921)
- Tribunale civile e penale - Civil and Criminal Court (1921-1941)
- Tribunale - Court (1941-1988)
- Tribunale ordinario - Ordinary Court (since 1988).
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS
The files of criminal proceedings constitute one of the largest and best-preserved series in this extensive archive, still only partially catalogued. Almost all the files retain their original cover indicating the sequential number (reset to 1 each year), the magistrate’s court that initiated proceedings, the names of the defendant or defendants with their personal details, and the crime.
The reorganised section of the archive includes the files of criminal proceedings from the Court of Novara, with judgements for the years 1889-1914. The reorganisation and indexing work was carried out by Maria Marcella Vallascas (years 1889-1910) and Chiara Scionti (1911-1914).
To request access to the records, it is necessary to specify the year and file number.
Download inventory: Court of Novara, criminal proceedings files, 1889-1914
REGISTERS
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OTHERS
