The Tlatoani, or the Great Speaker, had many duties in the political situation. He was the head of the law courts, priesthood, and the army. He would also speak to the Aztec gods.

The Aztecs had harsh punishments. The criminals were taken to a court where there was a group of judges who would decide the punishment if he was guilty. Sometimes the emperor would pronounce the sentence. In this way the Aztec judicial system was somewhat like ours today. The emperor would act as a judge and specially chosen members of the community would act as a jury.
Crime
Punishment
adultery death
commoner found wearing cotton clothes death
cutting down a living tree death
drunkenness 1st offense -head shaved, house destroyed

2nd offense - death

handling stolen property sold into slavery
moving a field boundry death
kidnapping sold into slavery
selling substandard goods loss of property
major theft death
minor theft sold into slavery
treason death, loss of property, destruction of land, children sold into slavery