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1. Introduction
2. Technical details
3. Volumes (.pdf)
1. Introduction
While the legal field continues to invest new territories, the Journal des Tribunaux, which already had to make choices at the level of the "metropolitan" headings published, could not afford to house a colonial component. Furthermore, the specificity of colonial matters would have required a review of the composition of the drafting committee of the Journal des Tribunaux so that the latter includes experts in these matters. These two reasons led to the creation of an “Oversea” version of the Journal des Tribunaux (JTOM), also edited and published in Brussels by Maison Ferdinand Larcier.
The JTOM aims to provide extensive documentation on all Congolese legal issues., the state of jurisprudence, the development of legislation, but also, by echoes, sketches, show the life of African courts, as well as make known their magistrates and their bars.
The structure of the journal is relatively similar to that of the Journal des Tribunaux, with headings : doctrine, case law decision, legal chronicle, bibliography, echoes and publicity. There are also sections specific to the colony like the one entitled “Pili Pili” – namely a brief chronicle of African customs – or of the “back and forth” section which mentions the judicial staff from Africa on leave in Belgium.
At the end of each year, in the last volume, a main alphabetical table is published. In addition to this, a table of section names, chronicles of jurisprudence decisions as well as a table concerning the articles, comments, notes and chronicles classified by names of authors are presented there.
The publication of the JTOM is interrupted, after ten years of existence, the 15 july 1960. JTOM will publish two more issues one year apart, the 15 December 1960 and 1961. If in July 1960, the tone is optimistic, the editorial team of the JTOM wishing to contribute to the legal challenges posed by Independence, it is clear six months later that the country is sinking into chaos. Notwithstanding the political situation, the JTOM launches an appeal at the end of 1960 : “ (manual translation) This issue is not, cannot be, the assurance that the J. T. O. resumes publication with regular periodicity. It is but a testimony indicating that we remain present and that our activity will continue. We appeal to all those who will take care of justice in the Congo : send us, like you did in the past, judgments, studies, suggestions. Our program, announced in July 1950, is to help build a civilized world on indigenous traditions. We are above any political fray, with the primary concern of justice, foundation of the freedom of citizens and the solidity of nations, and as the mainspring of our activity, our selfless devotion to this land and these African peoples that we have never ceased to love”. After a year of inactivity, the editorial board, by the voice of its president Antoine Sohier, must resolve to take leave of his readers.
2. Technical details
123 numbers published between 15/06/1950 and 15/12/1961.
Dimensions:
- Couverture : 31 cm x 24 cm
- Page : 30.5 cm x 23.5 cm
- Articles : 3 columns : 27.5 cm x 20 cm
Drafting committee :
President : SOHIER Antoine (1950-1961)
Members :
- VAN REEPINGHEN Charles (1950)
- JENTGEN Jean P. D. (1950-1958)
- BOURS Léon (1950-1961)
- DURIEUX André (1950-1961)
- FONTAINAS P. (1950-1961)
- MALENGREAU Guy (1950-1961)
- MINEUR P. (1950-1961)
- ORBAN Paul (1950-1961)
- VINDEVOGHEL Jean (1950-1961)
- VERSTRAETE Max (1953-1961)
- DE WAERSEGGER L. (1959-1961)
- RAË Marcelin (1959-1961)
Member-secretaries :
- GOFFIN Léon (1950-1961)
- MAYNÉ Marcel (1950-1961)
3. Volumes (.pdf)
The table of contents of 1950 is in the volume of 1951.
Since there is only one number in 1961, 1960 and 1961 have been grouped together. Moreover, the table of contents of 1960 figure in the volume 1961.