Sumiguchi - Sumikuchi

Japanese: 済口 - すみくち

In civil court proceedings (deirisuji) during the Edo period, this refers to the reaching of a settlement (internal settlement). In civil cases (kuji, deirimono), the magistrate's office would always encourage internal settlement, and internal settlement was possible at any stage of the trial. In addition to relatives and town and village officials, temples and kujiyado (inns where people involved in litigation stay, with the owner/general serving a role similar to that of a lawyer) usually acted as intermediaries (atsukainin/handler). Once a solution was reached after careful discussion, a document called a "settlement certificate" detailing the contents was submitted to the magistrate's office for approval.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸時代の民事裁判手続(出入筋（でいりすじ）)において，和解(内済（ないさい）)が成立すること。民事事件(公事（くじ），出入物)では奉行所は終始内済を勧めるのであって，裁判のどの段階においても内済することが可能である。親類，町村役人のほか，寺院や公事宿（くじやど）(訴訟関係者の宿泊する宿屋で，主人･下代は弁護士類似の役割を果たす)などが仲介者(噯人（あつかいにん）･扱人)となるのが通常であった。熟談のうえ解決策がまとまると，その内容を記した〈済口証文(内済証文)〉を奉行所に提出して承認を求める。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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