Law and justice?

[Ulysses]

Hi team
Apologies if I am being blind and/or obtuse.
The Imperial republica write up refers to the High Judicator bring in charge of law and justice. Presumably there is some sort of secret police. Does this already exist? If so, how can I join? If not, can I volunteer to do some kind of write up?

Tagging @Rexx for your views.

Cheers

 

[Alhon]

Be happy to help / be involved in this.

 

[Ulysses]

Sorry for jumping the gun (@Rexx )

Over the weekend I wrote up a draft lore article:

Spoiler: Law and Order in the IR

Law is our Supreme Ruler - inscription above the supreme court building in Coruscant

The word of the Emperor is law - Emperor Straphos upon declaring himself chief justice in response to a treasonous impeachment charge.

Many have said that these two phrases, taken together, equal the Imperial constitution.

Although justice these days is still dispensed in the name of the Emperor and he retains a right to sit on the supreme court, it is traditionally delegated to the High Judicator to sit as Chief Justice.

The empire is formally a civil law jurisdiction. That is to say that the edicts of successive emperors get written down into a single document, called the law code, and all legal disputes are referred back to the wording of the code for authoritative decision. No decision of any judge is binding on another, but there are various rights of appeal to higher courts. The supreme court has no jurisdiction to question Imperial edict.

Crime in the empire is divided into two: the less serious misdemeanours; and the capital felonies such as murder, treason and robbery. Whether the punishment for felonies is death or transportation to labour camps will depend more on the circumstances of the conviction than the circumstances of the offence - on whether the local infrastructure can hold and deport the felon.

The criminal justice system in the empire is inquisitorial, which means that the investigations are led and directed by the judges. Once they have satisfied themselves of guilt, they pass judgment and execute sentence. Misdemeanors are investigated by junior judges (Inquisitors) who are often planet based, while felonies require a senior Justicar. Justicars are based in more significant planets but will often go "on circuit" to deal with any serious matters arising elsewhere. To be appointed inquisitor, a Sith must attain at least the rank of Crusader and a non-force user, Director. To be appointed Judicar, it is Lord and Moff, respectively.

Those that are not judges but work within the justice system may either be clerks to judges or part of the Watch - the empire's not-so-secret secret police. The Watch has its own quasi-military structure, with arms that range from SWAT style response units to investigation teams with webs of informants.

I have also put together some characters that could be written up - they are only roles at the moment and the names are placeholders really

Spoiler: NPCs to develop

His Honour Leonidrax, the Justicar of Coruscant

Often known as the thirteenth supreme court justice, the Justicar of Coruscant is the senior Justicar in the Empire and is right hand man to the High Judicator in terms of administration and oversees the appointment of all lower judges.

Sir Tocman Diaz, the Inquisitor of Korriban ("the Red Judge")

Not sitting in Korriban itself, for obvious reasons, the office of the Inquisitor of Korriban was given emergency powers of a Justicar to deal summarily with felonies in the midst of the Old Empire Uprising. The Imperial Republica retained the office, after the Old Empire was truly established, as a peripatetic judge seeking out dissidents on the inside of the Empire to prevent the same happening again.

High Commissioner Vordo

The High Commissioner of the Watch oversees the activities of the watch throughout the Empire, allocating manpower to particular investigations or inquiries. It would be a serious crime indeed that had the personal attention of the High Commissioner