Any conflict that occurred within a community, such as a village or town, was supposed to be settled out of court in accordance with the autonomy, rules or custom of the community; in special cases, however, it could be handed over to a person outside of the community for settlement.
これまでは村や町などの共同体発生した揉め事は共同体（惣）内部の自治や掟・慣習に従って済ませる「内済」によって解決されることになっていたが、特別な場合に限って共同体外部に解決を委ねた。