Note 3 — Chapter I · THE AUDIENCIAS OF THE SPANISH COLONIES

See Altamira, Historia de la civilización española, II, 477–480; Bancroft, History of Central America, I, 247–288; Helps, Spanish conquest, (1856), I, 187–227:

In the Spanish colonies an alcalde was usually an ordinary judge, not always trained in the law to the extent of being a letrado or togado. An alcalde ordinario or an alcalde de ayuntamiento tried cases in first instance. An alcalde mayor or an alcalde de partido might try cases on appeal from these. Generally speaking, alcaldes ordinarios were town judges, in contrast to alcaldes mayores who had provincial jurisdiction as well. Alcaldes ordinarios and regidores were members of the town ayuntamientos or cabildos (municipal councils). Regidores did not exercise judicial functions.