Until 1848, noble public estates, 'compossessoratus' in Latin, or gentry villages, functioned as a form of feudal joint ownership. Public estates are usually formed by a common written agreement. The judge was the head of the landowners' council. The council could pass judgment on minor misdemeanors, which could be appealed to the county at second instance. Not only the fines but also all other municipal revenues and expenditures were recorded in this book. From the few years documented by the source, we can obtain excellent data on rural life in the Reform age.