Nele concorrem todas as partes e suficiências: ouvidores e a administração da justiça não-letrada na capitania do Rio Grande

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis researches the role of lay judges in the Captaincy of Rio Grande between 1659 and 1685, analyzing their functions, challenges, and impact within the context of colonial administration. The appointment of these agents was a specific and limited measure in a few captaincies, reflecting the need to adapt to regional conditions in a scenario of scarcity of learned magistrates. Although they represented an attempt to compensate for the administrative deficit in peripheral areas, their performance proved insufficient to ensure the effective application of royal norms, highlighting weaknesses in the Portuguese judicial and administrative model. Based on documentary and bibliographic sources, the study contributes to understanding governance strategies on the periphery of the Portuguese empire and expands the debate on the limits and peculiarities of justice in colonial Brazil.