In the Court or in the Village? Settling Disputes in Yap: 1950–1979

Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. (June 1991). "In the Court or in the Village? Settling Disputes in Yap: 1950–1979". The Journal of Pacific History. 26 (1): 74–93. doi:10.1080/00223349108572649. ISSN 0022-3344.

Abstract: In this article, Lingenfelter examines two institutions of dispute settlement, one traditional, the other modern. Traditional disputes within a village are handled by a council of village elders and disputes between villages, by a council of chiefs from allied villages. In 1950, the U.S. administration established a District Court and High Court. Lingenfelter presents several cases and discusses which kind of case is likely to be found in which venue. He also analyzes the distribution of cases by village, rank, and caste of the litigants. He notes an increase in court cases over time, especially in the towns. According to Lingenfelter, the main consideration in choosing between the two venues is whether or not the plaintiff wants to see an offender punished or continue to maintain a personal or political relationship with the defendant. Traditional village settlements maintain social harmony whereas court settlements threaten to breach social relations.

Extra details:

MAG: 2112706939
CorpusID: 159649744
OpenAlex: W2112706939