Guatemala, Republica 1837
El Pueblo Juez - The People Judge
Juicio Por Jurados - Trial by Jury

Stacks Image 5
Guatemala gained independence from Spain in 1821. After a brief period of annexation to Mexico, it was part of the Federation of Central American nations until achieving full independence in 1841.

Following defeat of the Conservatives in the Civil War (1826-1829) Mariano Galvez of the Central American Liberals was appointed Chief of State in 1831.

The Liberals hoped to introduce some of the reforms associated with the French Revolution of 1789, the newly formed federation of the United States of America and the 1812 reform movement in Spain. In particular Galvez promulgated the Livingston Code.

The Livingston Code was a set of civil penal reform codes written by US lawyer and statesman Edward Livingston. He was President Andrew Jackson's Secretary of State and advocated for trial by jury, habeas corpus, jails with separate cells and the appointment of judges by governors.

The Spanish Colonial criminal code was replaced with the Livingston Code on 1 January 1837.

However the Code was highly resented in many regions of Guatemala. In June 1837, for example, the insurgents of the Montana Rebellion published a manifesto in which one of the main demands was the abolition of the Livingston Code.

The Code was never effectively implemented and was repealed in 1839.