Corporal punishment, which was leniently used at the end of the rule of the Order of St John, was officially abolished by the French. Religious figures, such as Franciscan Prelate Monsignor Axisa, were prosecuted at the Castellania and also kept there under arrest if required. The institution of the Castellania was replaced by the "Tribunale Provisorio" and the "Tribunale Civile di Prim'Instanza". The post of "Castellano" was abolished, and judges were nominated by the "Commission de Gouvernement". By 6 July public buildings in Valletta were renamed, with the Castellania renamed as "Palais de Justice". The creation of the newly introduced court in Malta according to republican ideals, on 16 July 1798, saw the abolition of the Order's Courts and Tribunals together with the abolition of the Courts of the Bishop and the Inquisition. Giovanni N. Muscat was made a judge and president of the court during the French period but was soon dismissed bynthe French. Not less than three full cases of silver secured at the Castellania, were taken by the French on 8 November 1798, and were melted to create coins to remunerate the Jacobins. It was one of a series of similar reasons that consequently triggered a Maltese revolt. The French law system did not last enough to influence the Maltese courts at the time. After a successful Maltese uprising against French rule, in 1800 Malta became a British protectorate, with the Castellania becoming known as the "Gran Corte della Valletta". It was amongst the first public institutions to be reestablished. The documents of the Tribunale della Gran Corte della Castellania were given by Government Alexander Ball to the Gran Corte Vescovile (Court of the Bishop) with other documents of the church and the Inquisition at the request of the ecclesiastic authorities. Apart from those of the Court of the Bishop, the others (including those of the Castellania) were all found to be irrelevant to the church and were transferred to the Palace of the Inquisition in Birgu. The documents of the Tribunale della Valletta were likely transferred to the palace of the Inquisition by mistake but those arriving there never saw their way back to Valletta since. On 8 March 1805, a proclamation declared the restoration of the Courts of Justice. In February 1806, Ball gave instructions to presumably guarantee independence of the Judiciary, whereas the Judges could not be removed at a simple request, and legal persons would not be threatened to be jailed if they disagree with signing legal documents.