402 
JUSTICIARY FORMS. 
deposition coin rides, or if it disagrees with, the original deposition 
by the Complainant. The defendant’s deposition being finished and 
written down, it is sealed in the same way as the Petition of the 
Complainant. The Defendant is then cross-questioned to see if he 
will contradict himself. Parties are advised to reconcile matters. 
No reconciliation taking place, the depositions are read aloud. 
If the Defendant pleads in the wrong the matter is immediately 
decided on ; if not, copies of the depositions are taken hy a proper 
officer to the houses of the witnesses, and these having been taken 
to a Phoodhist Temple and duly sworn in there by a Priest, they 
are examined by the officer in presence, generally, of the Complain¬ 
ant, and such persons as he may have brought with him. The par¬ 
ties are kept near the Court House and strictly watched. On the 
day appointed the depositions of the parties who are present are read 
before the judges. They put such questions to the parties as they 
think fit; but the witnesses are not called on again. The inferior 
judges give their opinions in writing ; and the chief judge passes sen¬ 
tence after having examined their grounds of decision. Appeals 
may be made to the King, and from one Provincial Court to another 
and higher one,* 
* “ The Siamese have only one style for both Civil and Criminal law. 
w All processes are in writing. 
“ Governors of provinces examine the Petition and reject it or admit it 
as it may appear to him just or unjust. He can even chastise the Petitioner. 
This is to prevent any rash process being begun. 
“ The Governor does not appear until all preliminaries have been adjust¬ 
ed. 
“ The opinions which are all consultative are written down ; the Clerk 
reads the depositions and evidence in absence of the Governor. 
“ The process being thus prepared and the council standing in presence 
of the Governor, the Clerk reads to him the process and the opinions of the 
different officers. The Governor, if he thinks proper, takes objection to opi¬ 
nions and questions the authors of them as to the reasons for their opini¬ 
ons. Then lie pronounces in general terms the judgment according to Law. 
“ Then Oc Lo-uang Peng reads aloud the law of the case. But they ne¬ 
ver follow the law, and prefer the equity side of the case. The judgment is 
set down in writing. But the King’s Attorney General or Joksbat f Yok- 
khabat'J states to the Court when be thinks fit his opinion of the justice or 
otherwise of the decision. . 
“ A Law Agent or person assisting a suitor must be at least his cousin 
german. 
w Torture is used where proof is a wan ting, 
“Appeals are made from Province to Province occasionally. These 
are always allowed, but were very expensive. 
