COURTS OF KAZAKH CADIS IN KARAKALPAKSTAN (LATE 19TH - EARLY 20TH CENTURY)

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive study of the activities of Kazakh cadis in Karakalpakstan during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, focusing on their role as a legal institution. The aim of the research is to analyze the interaction between traditional legal norms and Islamic sharia, as well as the structural and functional changes in the judicial system under colonial rule. The study employs problem-chronological, comparative-historical, and retrospective methods. It is based on archival materials from the Central State Archive of the Republic of Uzbekistan and relevant scholarly works. The research reveals the social status of the cadis, the procedure of their election, the nature of their duties, decision-making processes, and their influence among the local population. Additionally, it examines the relationship between the judiciary and administrative bodies, disparities in education levels, cases of unfair elections, administrative pressure, and corruption under the Russian Empire. Special emphasis is placed on the integration of sharia and customary norms (adat), the cadis’ relationship with biys (traditional judges), and their impact on regional legal culture. This study offers deeper insights into Kazakh legal consciousness and the historical evolution of traditional justice. Its findings are applicable to legal-historical research, ethno-social analysis, academic instruction, and the study of regional history.