The Water Tribunal of the plain of Valencia or also known as Tribunal of Waters (Tribunal de les Aigües de València), Is a court of justice that is responsible for settling disputes arising from the use of irrigation water in the Irrigation Communities (Comunitats de Regants) included canals (Quart, Benàger i Faitanar, Tormos, Mislata, Mestalla, Favara, Rascanya, Rovella, and Xirivella) in the Horta de València. It is the oldest democratic institution in Europe as well as the oldest in the world
It is believed that the irrigators' tribunals of the Spanish Mediterranean coast date back to the al-Andalus period in the 9th to the 13th centuries, and were created by Spanish law. According to Spanish law, the Plain of Murcia has two main tribunals - the Council of Wise Men and the Water Tribunal. The two democratically elected courts settle disputes orally, swiftly, transparently, and impartially in a way that inspires authority and respect.
It is a customary court composed of one trustee from each Irrigation Community, for a total of nine trustees. One is elected president for a two-year term. A public meeting of the Tribunal is held every Thursday at the Casa Vestidor at the Plaça de la Mare de Déu of Valencia. On public holidays that fall on Thursdays, the Water Court meets on the preceding Wednesday. It discusses various issues, mainly water distribution.
Each complainant presents their case to the Tribunal, followed by the accused defending themselves and answering questions. Afterward, the Tribunal, with the exception of the trustee who is responsible for the canal (to ensure fairness), will decide the guilt of the defendant, and if so, then the trustee of the canal will impose the penalty, according to the Bylaws governing the Irrigation Communities (Valencian: Ordenances de la Propia Comunitat de Regants). The court proceedings are solely oral. There is no written record and no paperwork is kept. As well as fulfilling their legal responsibilities, irrigators' tribunals serve as a visible symbol of the communities for which they are appointed, as evident in the rites performed when judgments are handed down and in the fact that the tribunals are often incorporated into local iconography.
The preservation and transmission of knowledge derived from centuries-old cultural exchanges is a key component of the cohesion of traditional communities and synergy between occupations. To this day, local and regional identity has been embodied in the courts for a long time and holds a special place in local communities.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/irrigators-tribunals-of-the-spanish-mediterranean-coast-the-council-of-wise-men-of-the-plain-of-murcia-and-the-water-tribunal-of-the-plain-of-valencia-00171) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_Tribunal_of_the_plain_of_Valencia)