Kemal SAYLAN

Important innovations and reforms had been carried out in courts like other many institutions of the Ottoman Empire in Tanzimat Period. Before Tanzimat period, there were three kinds of courts namely sheria courts, minorities (cemaat) courts and consular courts. During the Tanzimat period, trade and nizamiye courts were also added and the types of courts were increased. Some problems were experienced in the function of these courts due to change and reconstruction with the Tanzimat period. Politicians determined the problems and find solutions. Sometimes the Sultan, sometimes ministry of justice assigned experts to determine the problems. Sometimes the personnel in the court house determined the problems about courts being assigned and they presented the results to the related offices as reports. During the time of Abdulhamid II, reports were perepared about courts of justice like other many government institutions. In this study, 5 of the detected 6 reports were introduced with respect to there and 1 of the reports were simplified and presented in order to show the problems of the courts.

Key Words: Abdulhamid II, report, court of justice, Sultan, Tanzimat.