Naruszenia porządku i prawa podczas obrad sejmików Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego w miejscach sakralnych (XVII–XVIII w.)

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Lithuanian regional assemblies of the nobility (Polish: sejmik) were the scene of numerous disputes. The personal and political involvement of the participants of the sessions frequently led to arguments, fights, and even murders. The nobility, bribed by the magnates, took part in the incidents in especially large numbers. Such undesired occurrences were often directly related to the drunkenness of the participants of the meetings. Even the places of religious worship did not stop them from committing crimes. Tributes were imposed on the local nobility in order to compensate the clergy for the destruction of churches and monasteries. The regional deputy assemblies of the nobility (where judges of the Tribunal of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were elected) were particularly susceptible to violations of law and order were and this fact resulted in the delegation of double judicial benches to the tribunal sessions. The constitutions passed by the Sejm could not significantly improve the situation