The late eighteenth century brought profound social and demographic changes to all of Latin America and Yucatan in particular. Voluminous records of the trials that followed the 1792 assassination of the province's first intendant-governor, don Lucas de Galvez, highlight the effects of geographic, economic, and social mobility on Yucatan's inhabitants. The increasing permeability of racial categories, movement to and from cities, upward social mobility for some Mayas and many Afro-Yucatecans, and downward mobility for some Spaniards left many subjects outside of the legal framework formulated by Spanish jurists during the early colonial period. The ambiguous status that resulted from greater mobility and independence brought more exposure to punishment and prosecution from law enforcement agents and court magistrates. Individuals in vulnerable positions sought protection through official means, such as the immunities granted to soldiers and militiamen, or through extralegal methods such as the patronage of influential figures from the quarreling factions of the upper class The 1792 assassination led to a protracted trial involving hundreds of witnesses and suspects from every conceivable background, giving a comprehensive view of how Yucatecans dealt with the law. Records from separate trials unconnected with the assassination, which were overseen by military tribunals, local Maya justices, and Indian Court magistrates, add to our understanding of the operation and reach of Yucatan's judicial system and the jurisdictional controversies that resulted from competing claims to authority. Militia rosters, guild rolls, and prisoner lists also provide important background material