Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Law

Court

Talking about law, courts are buildings specialized for legal proceedings only.  
Contributors: Jenny, Majid, Peter

Variable Definition
Polity The Seshat Polity Name
Year(s) The years for which we have the data. [negative = BCE]
Confidence Inferred : The value is inferred.
Suspected : The value is suspected (Expert Check Needed).
Evidenced : The value is backed up by sufficient evidence.
Disputed? No : No disagreement among scholars.
Yes : There is disagreement among scholars.
Expert? : Not yet Checked by a Seshat Expert.
: Checked and accepted by a Seshat Expert (or RA).

Variable Definition
court The absence or presence of court for a polity.

# Polity   Year(s)   Court   Confidence     Disputed?     Expert?   Edit
1
Sakha - Late
1632 CE 1889 CE
absent
Confident No Edit
2
Iban - Brooke Raj and Colonial
1841 CE 1924 CE
absent
Confident No Edit
3
Austria - Habsburg Dynasty II
1867 CE 1918 CE
present
Confident No Edit
4
Sakha - Late
1890 CE 1900 CE
present
Confident No Edit
5
Soviet Union
1923 CE 1991 CE
present
Confident No Edit
6
Iban - Brooke Raj and Colonial
1924 CE 1987 CE
present
Inferred No Edit
7
Deccan - Iron Age
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
8
Deccan - Neolithic
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
9
Mughal Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
10
Abbasid Caliphate I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
11
Satavahana Empire
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
12
Icelandic Commonwealth
-
absent
Confident No Edit
13
Khitan I
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
14
Early Mongols
-
absent
Confident No Edit
15
Xianbei Confederation
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
16
Second Turk Khaganate
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
17
Uigur Khaganate
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
18
Early Xiongnu
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
19
Koktepe I
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
20
Yemen - Qasimid Dynasty
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
21
Koktepe II
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
22
Egypt - Inter-Occupation Period
-
present
Confident Yes Edit
23
Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
24
Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
25
Chuuk - Late Truk
-
present
Confident No Edit
26
Early Merovingian
-
present
Confident No Edit
27
French Kingdom - Late Valois
-
present
Confident No Edit
28
British Empire II
-
present
Confident No Edit
29
Middle Postclassic Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
30
Oneota
-
absent
Confident No Edit
31
Kingdom of Jimma
-
present
Confident No Edit
32
Iban - Pre-Brooke
-
absent
Confident No Edit
33
Abbasid Caliphate II
-
present
Inferred No Edit
34
Durrani Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
35
Majapahit Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
36
Mataram Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
37
Greco-Bactrian Kingdom
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
38
Isin-Larsa
-
present
Confident No Edit
39
Sasanid Empire II
-
present
Inferred No Edit
40
Seleucids
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
41
Seljuk Sultanate
-
present
Confident No Edit
42
La Tene A-B1
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
43
La Tene B2-C1
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
44
La Tene C2-D
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
45
The Emirate of Crete
-
present
Confident No Edit
46
Final Postpalatial Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
47
Monopalatial Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
48
Neolithic Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
49
Early Roman Republic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
50
Roman Empire - Principate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
51
Republic of Venice III
-
present
Confident No Edit
52
Tokugawa Shogunate
-
present
Confident No Edit
53
Kara-Khanids
-
present
Inferred No Edit
54
Early Angkor
-
present
Confident No Edit
55
Chenla
-
present
Confident No Edit
56
Funan II
-
present
Confident No Edit
57
Eastern Turk Khaganate
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
58
Oaxaca - San Jose
-
absent
Confident No Edit
59
Oaxaca - Tierras Largas
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
60
Kachi Plain - Aceramic Neolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
61
New Palace Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
62
The Old Palace Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
63
Postpalatial Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
64
Prepalatial Crete
-
absent
Confident No Edit
65
Hawaii II
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
66
Canaan
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
67
Byzantine Empire II
-
present
Confident No Edit
68
Hatti - New Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
69
Neo-Hittite Kingdoms
-
present
Inferred No Edit
70
Ottoman Emirate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
71
Ottoman Empire I
-
present
Inferred No Edit
72
Ottoman Empire III
-
present
Confident No Edit
73
Sogdiana - City-States Period
-
present
Inferred No Edit
74
Himyar I
-
present
Inferred No Edit
75
Hellenistic Crete
-
present
Confident No Edit
76
Hawaii I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
77
Hawaii III
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
78
Middle and Late Nok
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
79
Egypt - Thebes-Libyan Period
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
80
Early Qing
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
81
Late Qing
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
82
Tang Dynasty II
-
present
Confident No Edit
83
Jin Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
84
Shuar - Ecuadorian
-
absent
Confident No Edit
85
Ayyubid Sultanate
-
present
Confident No Edit
86
Egypt - Dynasty I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
87
Egypt - Dynasty II
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
88
Jenne-jeno I
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
89
Jenne-jeno II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
90
Egypt - Mamluk Sultanate III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
91
Egypt - New Kingdom Ramesside Period
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
92
Egypt - New Kingdom Thutmosid Period
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
93
Yangshao
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
94
Egypt - Period of the Regions
-
present
Confident No Edit
95
Badarian
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
96
Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
97
Egypt - Thebes-Hyksos Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
98
Atlantic Complex
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
99
French Kingdom - Early Bourbon
-
present
Confident No Edit
100
French Kingdom - Late Bourbon
-
present
Confident No Edit
101
Naqada I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
102
Naqada II
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
103
Egypt - Dynasty 0
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
104
Carolingian Empire I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
105
Archaic Crete
-
present
Confident No Edit
106
Zungharian Empire
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
107
Austria - Habsburg Dynasty II
-
present
Confident No Edit
108
Khwarezmid Empire
-
present
Inferred No Edit
109
Kediri Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
110
Samanid Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
111
Chuuk - Early Truk
-
absent
Confident No Edit
112
Beaker Culture
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
113
Proto-French Kingdom
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
114
Hallstatt A-B1
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
115
Hallstatt B2-3
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
116
Hallstatt C
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
117
Hallstatt D
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
118
Susiana - Muhammad Jaffar
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
119
Formative Period
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
120
Susiana - Early Ubaid
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
121
Safavid Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
122
Susa I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
123
Papal States - Renaissance Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
124
Republic of St Peter I
-
present
Inferred No Edit
125
Ashikaga Shogunate
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
126
Early Dynastic
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
127
Japan - Azuchi-Momoyama
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
128
Neo-Assyrian Empire
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
129
Ubaid
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
130
Ur - Dynasty III
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
131
Uruk
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
132
Warring States Japan
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
133
Buyid Confederation
-
present
Inferred No Edit
134
Western Turk Khaganate
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
135
Late Angkor
-
present
Confident No Edit
136
Khmer Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
137
Phoenician Empire
-
present
Inferred No Edit
138
Elam II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
139
Saadi Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
140
Bamana kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
141
Jenne-jeno III
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
142
Qajar
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
143
Elam - Early Sukkalmah
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
144
Papal States - Medieval Period I
-
present
Confident No Edit
145
Papal States - Medieval Period II
-
present
Confident No Edit
146
Exarchate of Ravenna
-
present
Confident No Edit
147
Western Roman Empire - Late Antiquity
-
present
Confident No Edit
148
Japan - Incipient Jomon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
149
Japan - Initial Jomon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
150
Japan - Early Jomon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
151
Japan - Middle Jomon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
152
Japan - Late Jomon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
153
Japan - Final Jomon
-
absent
Confident No Edit
154
Kansai - Yayoi Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
155
Andronovo
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
156
Archaic Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
157
Aztec Empire
-
absent
Confident No Edit
158
Epiclassic Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
159
Middle Formative Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
160
Initial Formative Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
161
Toltecs
-
absent
Confident No Edit
162
Kingdom of Norway II
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
163
Inca Empire
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
164
Orokaiva - Pre-Colonial
-
absent
Confident No Edit
165
Orokaiva - Colonial
-
present
Confident No Edit
166
Indo-Greek Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
167
Kachi Plain - Proto-Historic Period
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
168
Sakha - Early
-
absent
Confident No Edit
169
Cuzco - Early Intermediate I
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
170
Cuzco - Early Intermediate II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
171
Cuzco - Late Intermediate I
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
172
Cuzco - Late Intermediate II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
173
Cuzco - Late Formative
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
174
Wari Empire
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
175
Egypt - Kushite Period
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
176
Umayyad Caliphate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
177
Late Cappadocia
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
178
Hatti - Old Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
179
Sind - Samma Dynasty
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
180
Ottoman Empire II
-
present
Confident No Edit
181
Rum Sultanate
-
present
Confident No Edit
182
Sarazm
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
183
Haudenosaunee Confederacy - Late
-
absent
Confident No Edit
184
Konya Plain - Early Bronze Age
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
185
Kingdom of Hawaii - Kamehameha Period
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
186
Middle Bronze Age in Central Anatolia
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
187
Konya Plain - Early Chalcolithic
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
188
Konya Plain - Late Chalcolithic
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
189
East Roman Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
190
Konya Plain - Ceramic Neolithic
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
191
Konya Plain - Early Neolithic
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
192
Konya Plain - Late Neolithic
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
193
Cahokia - Early Woodland
-
absent
Confident No Edit
194
Cahokia - Late Woodland II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
195
Cahokia - Middle Woodland
-
absent
Confident No Edit
196
Cahokia - Late Woodland III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
197
Cahokia - Late Woodland I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
198
Cahokia - Sand Prairie
-
unknown
Confident No Edit
199
Cahokia - Emergent Mississippian I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
200
Timurid Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
201
Ghur Principality
-
present
Inferred No Edit
202
Kushan Empire
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
203
Eastern Han Empire
-
present
Inferred No Edit
204
Western Jin
-
present
Inferred No Edit
205
Erligang
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
206
Erlitou
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
207
Northern Song
-
present
Confident No Edit
208
Northern Wei
-
present
Inferred No Edit
209
Sui Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
210
Tang Dynasty I
-
present
Confident No Edit
211
Early Wei Dynasty
-
present
Inferred No Edit
212
Western Han Empire
-
present
Inferred No Edit
213
French Kingdom - Late Capetian
-
present
Confident No Edit
214
French Kingdom - Early Valois
-
present
Confident No Edit
215
Egypt - Inter-Occupation Period
-
absent
Confident Yes Edit
216
Egypt - Middle Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
217
Egypt - Classic Old Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
218
Egypt - Late Old Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
219
Ptolemaic Kingdom II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
220
Egypt - Period of the Regions
-
absent
Confident No Edit
221
Egypt - Saite Period
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
222
Egypt - Tulunid-Ikhshidid Period
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
223
Late Formative Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
224
Terminal Formative Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
225
Medang Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
226
Chalukyas of Badami
-
present
Confident No Edit
227
Chalukyas of Kalyani
-
present
Confident No Edit
228
Delhi Sultanate
-
present
Confident No Edit
229
Kampili Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
230
Mahajanapada era
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
231
Magadha - Maurya Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
232
Rashtrakuta Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
233
Vakataka Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
234
Vijayanagara Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
235
Pre-Ceramic Period
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
236
Bazi Dynasty
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
237
Dynasty of E
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
238
Achaemenid Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
239
Ilkhanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
240
Susiana A
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
241
Susiana B
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
242
Susiana - Late Ubaid
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
243
Parthian Empire I
-
present
Confident No Edit
244
Parthian Empire II
-
present
Confident No Edit
245
Latium - Bronze Age
-
absent
Confident No Edit
246
Latium - Copper Age
-
absent
Confident No Edit
247
Latium - Iron Age
-
absent
Confident No Edit
248
Ostrogothic Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
249
Monte Alban III
-
absent
Confident No Edit
250
Roman Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
251
Republic of Venice IV
-
present
Confident No Edit
252
Monte Alban IIIB and IV
-
absent
Confident No Edit
253
Monte Alban V
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
254
Jenne-jeno IV
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
255
Segou Kingdom
-
absent
Confident No Edit
256
Songhai Empire - Askiya Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
257
Rouran Khaganate
-
absent
Confident No Edit
258
Xiongnu Imperial Confederation
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
259
Later Wagadu Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
260
Middle Wagadu Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
261
Early Monte Alban I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
262
Monte Alban II
-
absent
Confident No Edit
263
Early Formative Basin of Mexico
-
absent
Confident No Edit
264
Holy Roman Empire - Ottonian-Salian Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
265
Kachi Plain - Ceramic Neolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
266
Kachi Plain - Chalcolithic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
267
Kachi Plain - Post-Urban Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
268
Kachi Plain - Pre-Urban Period
-
absent
Confident No Edit
269
Ayutthaya
-
present
Confident No Edit
270
Fatimid Caliphate
-
present
Confident No Edit
271
Konya Plain - Late Bronze Age II
-
present
Confident No Edit
272
Chagatai Khanate
-
present
Confident Yes Edit
273
Roman Empire - Dominate
-
present
Confident No Edit
274
Early Illinois Confederation
-
absent
Confident No Edit
275
Chagatai Khanate
-
absent
Confident Yes Edit
276
Himyar II
-
present
Inferred No Edit
277
Rasulid Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
278
Yemen - Tahirid Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
279
Funj Sultanate
-
present
Confident No Edit
280
Emirate of Harar
-
present
Confident No Edit
281
Foys
-
present
Confident No Edit
282
Benin Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
283
Kingdom of Nyinginya
-
absent
Confident No Edit
284
Dutch Empire
-
present
Inferred No Edit
285
Adal Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
286
Tunni Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
287
Ajuran Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
288
Habr Yunis
-
present
Inferred No Edit
289
Shoa Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
290
Ifat Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
291
Isaaq Sultanate
-
present
Inferred No Edit
292
Ilú-ọba Ọ̀yọ́
-
present
Inferred No Edit
293
Igala
-
present
Inferred No Edit
294
Kanem-Borno
-
present
Inferred No Edit
295
Imamate of Futa Toro
-
present
Inferred No Edit
296
Denyanke Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
297
Middle and Late Nok
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
298
West Burkina Faso Yellow I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
299
Sultanate of Geledi
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
300
Kingdom of Kaffa
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
301
Aro
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
302
West Burkina Faso Yellow II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
303
Oyo
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
304
Jin
-
present
Inferred No Edit
305
Western Zhou
-
present
Inferred No Edit
306
Great Yuan
-
present
Confident No Edit
307
Ptolemaic Kingdom I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
308
Spanish Empire I
-
present
Confident No Edit
309
Axum I
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
310
Carolingian Empire II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
311
Proto-Carolingian
-
present
Confident No Edit
312
Middle Merovingian
-
present
Confident No Edit
313
Susa III
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
314
Akan - Pre-Ashanti
-
absent
Confident No Edit
315
Ashanti Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
316
Classical Crete
-
present
Confident No Edit
317
Early A'chik
-
absent
Confident No Edit
318
Hoysala Kingdom
-
present
Inferred No Edit
319
Akkadian Empire
-
present
Confident No Edit
320
Elam - Awan Dynasty I
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
321
Sasanid Empire I
-
present
Inferred No Edit
322
Susa II
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
323
Early United Mexican States
-
present
Confident No Edit
324
Rome - Republic of St Peter II
-
present
Confident No Edit
325
Papal States - High Medieval Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
326
Late Roman Republic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
327
Middle Roman Republic
-
absent
Confident No Edit
328
Kamakura Shogunate
-
present
Confident No Edit
329
Classical Angkor
-
present
Confident No Edit
330
Plantagenet England
-
present
Confident No Edit
331
Funan I
-
present
Confident No Edit
332
Late Xiongnu
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
333
Monte Alban Late I
-
absent
Confident No Edit
334
Oaxaca - Rosario
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
335
Rattanakosin
-
present
Inferred No Edit
336
Byzantine Empire I
-
present
Confident No Edit
337
Byzantine Empire III
-
present
Confident No Edit
338
Haudenosaunee Confederacy - Early
-
absent
Confident No Edit
339
Kingdom of Bohemia - Luxembourgian and Jagiellonian Dynasty
-
present
Confident No Edit
340
Lombard Kingdom
-
present
Confident No Edit
341
Us Reconstruction-Progressive
-
present
Confident No Edit
342
Antebellum US
-
present
Confident No Edit
343
Tudor and Early Stuart England
-
present
Confident No Edit
344
Anglo-Saxon England II
-
present
Confident No Edit
345
Austria - Habsburg Dynasty I
-
present
Confident No Edit
346
Golden Horde
-
present
Confident No Edit
347
British Empire I
-
present
Confident No Edit
348
Kingdom of Hawaii - Post-Kamehameha Period
-
present
Confident No Edit
349
Anglo-Saxon England I
-
present
Confident No Edit
350
Napoleonic France
-
present
Confident No Edit
351
Hohokam Culture
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
352
Saffarid Caliphate
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
353
Hmong - Early Chinese
-
absent
Confident No Edit
354
British Empire IIIIIIIIII
-
present
Confident No Edit
355
Longshan
-
absent
Inferred No Edit
356
Great Ming
-
present
Confident No Edit
357
Shuar - Colonial
-
absent
Confident No Edit
358
Yisrael
-
unknown
Suspected No Edit
359
Late A'chik
-
absent
Confident No Edit