Petition - Chinjo

In the medieval litigation system, a document submitted by a ronnin (defendant) to refute a complaint. It is also called a sasajo or meyasu. The format was not fixed, but the opening was written as "Someone respectfully submits," "Someone respectfully defends," or "Someone replies," and the closing was written as "Present as per the above," "Prove as per the above," or "Prove as per the above." The paper was usually vertical, but origami paper (in which case the date was not written) was sometimes used. Medieval trials had a strong tendency towards adversarial justice, and written exchanges between the plaintiff and the debaters (counter-petitions) played an important role, but under Shogunate law this was permitted up to three times (three questions and three answers; under the Kuge law it was permitted two times). The first petition was called the first reply, the second the second reply, and the third the third reply, and the second and third petitions were also called kasanechinjo.

[Hiroko Kuroda]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世の訴訟制度において訴状に対し、それを反論弁駁(べんばく)するために論人(ろんにん)（被告）が提出する文書。支状(ささえじょう)、目安(めやす)ともいう。書式は一定していないが、書き出しは「某謹陳申(つつしんでちんじもうす)」「某謹弁申(つつしんでべんじもうす)」「某支言上(ささえごんじょうす)」などと記され、書き止めは「陳申如件(くだんのごとし)」「弁申如件」「支言上如件」などと記された。用紙は通例は竪紙(たてがみ)であるが、ときには折紙(おりがみ)（この場合日付は記されない）も用いられた。中世の裁判は当事者主義的傾向が強く、訴人（原告）と論人の文書を通しての応酬（訴陳(そちん)に番(つが)う）が重要な位置を占めたが、幕府法ではそれが3回まで認められた（三問三答。公家(くげ)法は2回）。最初の陳状は初答状、2回目は二答状、3回目は三答状といい、二答状と三答状は重陳状(かさねちんじょう)ともよばれた。

［黒田弘子］

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