Why did provincial Roman courts use a different procedure from courts in Rome?

Provincial Roman courts often utilized different procedures than those in Rome because provincial governors possessed broad administrative powers to maintain order and settle disputes, which allowed them to bypass the rigid, two-stage trial system used in the capital.12

In Rome, the traditional legal process—such as the legis actiones and the later formulary system—relied on a formal, two-part structure: a preliminary hearing before a magistrate followed by a trial before a judex (a private layman). This system was deeply rooted in a contractual element where both parties had to agree to the trial's terms.32

In contrast, provincial governors were tasked with maintaining security and collecting revenue, often with minimal staff. To handle these responsibilities efficiently, they utilized their administrative authority to investigate complaints directly and issue binding orders, effectively imposing justice from above. This administrative approach, known as cognitio extraordinaria, eventually migrated from the provinces to Rome, where it replaced the older, more formal procedures as the state took a more direct role in the administration of justice.123