Upvote:2
The plain reading of the Talmud indicates that, in addition to the Great Sanhedrin of 70 judges in Jerusalem, there were minor Sanhedrins of 23 judges in cities (dealing with "criminal" cases) and ad hoc courts of 3 "everywhere" (dealing with "civil" cases), and they seem to have been "busy" with adjudications and trials.
As for the specific injustices that you refer to, the corrupt practices of both "Jewish" royalty and Roman authorities (and, sometimes, of Jewish courts) are also well documented in the Talmud.
Moreover, the preference for compromise over litigation is also in the Talmud.