History
In Armenia the Ministry of Justice was established during the First Republic of Armenia. The establishment of the Ministry initiated on 7 August 1918. In 1919 the Ministry, previously having no organisational-structural bases, had structured and quite established central office under the leadership of the Minister. In 1920 the central office had the following structure:
- Minister of Justice
- Assistant to the Minister
- Council to the Minister
- Office of the Ministry of Justice
- Western Armenian law department
- Prison inspectorate
In 1920 People's Commissariat of Justice was established by the Revolutionary Committee of Armenian SSR. In the First Republic of Armenia the Ministry of Justice was of exceptional nature. Acting as a central executive-regulatory body within the system of the executive power, it also played the role of prosecutorial oversight body carrying out the function of criminal prosecution. At the same time the People's Commissar of Justice was also the Prosecutor General of the Republic. Being the Prosecutor General, the Minister also was empowered to have general control over the activities of judicial institutions. The legislation empowered him to "monitor the incessant implementation of legal proceedings, internal structure of judicial bodies and the observance of rules of procedure therein."
On 31 January 1930 the People's Commissariat was dismissed. It was re-established on 5 January 1933. In that period of time the objectives of the People's Commissariat of Justice were fulfilled by the Prosecutor's Office of the Armenian SSR and the Supreme Court. In 1936 the prosecutorial and investigative bodies were separated from the People's Commissariat of Justice. The People's Commissariat was reorganised into the Ministry of Justice. It functioned till 1959. Until 1970 the functions of the Ministry were carried out by the Supreme Court of the Armenian SSR and the Legal Commission adjunct to the Council (Soviet) of Ministers of the Armenian SSR.
Upon the Executive Order of 2 November 1970 of the Presidency of Supreme Council the Ministry of Justice of the Armenian SSR was established, the objectives of which were: administration of activities of judicial, notary and civil status acts registration bodies, Collegium of Advocates and legal advisors; methodical management of legal propaganda and of the activities aimed at legal education of citizens; aggregation of the activities of judicial bodies and participation in the systematisation of the legislation in force.
