Peter Stuchka
was born into a poor family in Livonia, Russia,
in 1865. After graduating from St Petersburg University Law Faculty
in 1888, he worked as a lawyer in Riga.
Stuchka
was converted to Marxism and began editing
the progressive newspaper, Dienas Lapa
(Daily News). This resulted in his arrest and spending five years
in Siberia.
In 1903
Stuchka founded a Marxist party in Latvia. Three years later he joined
the Bolsheviks faction of the Social
Democratic Labour Party. After the 1905
Revolution Stuchka was kept busy defending radicals in court.
Following
the February Revolution Stuchka became
a member of the editorial board of Pravda.
In November, 1917, Stuchka entered the Soviet Government as People's
Commissar of Justice.
In August,
1918, Stuchka left his post as Commissar of Justice in order to become
head of the Provisional Government of Latvia.
After the
collapse of the communist government in Latvia in January, 1920, Stuchka
became chairman of the Supreme Court. He published several books on
Soviet law including The Revolutionary Role
of the Law and State (1921)
and The Revolution of the Law
(1923). He also edited Encyclopedia of State
and Law. Peter Stuchka died in 1932.
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