Sigil's Legal System
Sigilian Judicial Proceedings (In Brief and highly simplified)
1. A crime is suspected to have been committed.
2. The Harmonium makes the arrest of the suspect(s).
a. If the suspect successfully flees arrest:
i.The Harmonium Officer will make a report at the Barracks, and acquire the help of a Guvner to bring charges against the suspects.
ii.The Guvner files the charges and sets a court date for the accused.
//1.Make sure they can actually be there, or agree that they wouldn’t attend anyway
iii. A duplicate of the charges are then posted on the public appearances board outside of the Court for all to see.
//1.Post in #Chant
iv.Failure of the accused to attend their court appearance will be accepted as an admission of guilt of all charges.
3.The suspects are taken back to the Barracks and held until a Guvner is available to learn of the case and draft charges.
//a. If no one is around just let them go and do it at another time, post something in #Sigil-Law that you need a Guv
4.The charges are drafted and submitted by the Guvner to the Court.
a.At the prerogative of the accused; a Guvner may enact an impromptu court so long as at least two representative members from the Triad of Law are there to stand witness (this does not include the guvner). This option is not available for those who have committed a high crime such a treason or murder.
//i.Any crime that a player commits that has serious consequences could be regarded as a high crime. Serious consequences being death or long stints in prison of longer than a few days
5. Once the charges are drafted a court date is assigned, and a bail is set at the prerogative of the Guvner.
a. Bail will not be offered for high crimes such as treason or murder.
//i. A reasonable bail should be offered for all crimes outside of treason or murder, or something equally as extreme
//ii.This fee is to be presented to a DM and not pocketed. Speak with a DM about any bribe/theft your character would have taken and let them give you some of the money back))
6.The accused is informed that a Guvner will represent them unless they waive that right and choose another party to represent them. Once waived this right cannot be gained again for the same case.
7.The accused is either released on bail or held in the Barracks until the trial date.
//a.To make this less terrible for the players, only hold them for a maximum of two days. After that release on bail.
8.Once the court date arrives, the accused is taken/arrives at the court for their trial.
9.Once the trial has ended, the accused will either accompany a Mercykiller to the Prison, or be escorted out of the courts by a Harmonium and released.
//a.Currently in Sigil sentences are only 10 years in prison or death. For players that’s definitely unacceptable. Any sentenced crime should be punished by 5/10/20 years in jail or execution. Death will only be allowed if a DM gives the OK.
10.Any suspect that fails to attend trial, flees from the proceedings, or flees after being convicted is the jurisdiction of the Mercykillers.
11.Mercykillers are expected to retrieve prisoners to serve their sentences. Only those prisoners sentenced to death should be hunted with the expectation of coming back Alive or Dead. All other prisoners should be taken back Alive unless outside circumstances supersede.
//a.The PVP rules apply here
Guvner Summons
[OVERSEEING GUVNER]
IN THE [COURTHOUSE] FOR THE [DOMAIN, CITY, PLANE, ETC] AT [TIME OF TRIAL]
//OFTEN IN THE COURTHOUSE OF THE CITY OF SIGIL.
//USE UNIVERSAL TIMECODE GENERATOR FOR TRIAL TIME
[PLAINTIFF] V. [DEFENDANT]
//OFTEN SIGIL V. BLANK, TRIAD OF ORDER V. BLANK, OR FACTION V. BLANK
CASE NO. //WHATEVER THE ARREST WARRANT NUMBER WAS
The [DEFENDANT] is hearby summoned and commaned to appear at the above entitled court.
The [DEFENDANT] has been accused of the following crimes:
//List
//Crimes
//One
//By
//One
In order to defend against this accusation, the defendant must present themselves in person to the court at the above entitled time. Failure to do so will be accepted as an admission of guilt of all charges.
//Year month day, year is Haskar 153, month/day is whatever real life month/day it is
Respectfully submitted by [Guvners name], day of 153 - 5 - 23.
Mercykiller bounty/wanted poster template
WANTED FOR CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS BY THE TRIAD OF LAW IN THE CITY OF SIGIL
NAME :
RACE :
HEIGHT :
WEIGHT :
EYES :
HAIR :
SKINTONE:
IDENTIFYING MARKS: [LIST ANY]
CONVICTED OF: [LIST CONVICTIONS]
WANTED: ALIVE
BOUNTY: //NO MORE THAN 100,000 GOLD. SEE A DM FOR HIGHER BOUNTY. PAID BY THE FACTION.
//Year month day, year is Haskar 153, month/day is whatever real life month/day it is
BOUNTY ISSUED : 153 - 5 - 23
BOUNTY NUMBER : 123456789
Warrant Template
WARRANT FOR THE ARREST OF A SUSPECT OF A CRIMINAL CASE
NAME :
RACE :
HEIGHT :
WEIGHT :
EYES :
HAIR :
SKINTONE:
IDENTIFYING MARKS: [LIST ANY]
//TO BE FILLED OUT BY A GUVNER ADMINISTRATOR
WANTED FOR : [LIST ANY SUSPECTED CRIMES]
//Year month day, year is Haskar 153, month/day is whatever real life month/day it is
DATE WARRANT ISSUED : 153 - 5 - 23
WARRANT NUMBER : 123456789
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION:
The official way a trial is meant to be held goes like this -
The Prosecution and Defense Attorney obtain written writs from witnesses with full statements that are signed.
Trial begins with the Judge opening it. Prosecution makes an opening statement; Defense makes an opening statement.
Both sides submit written evidence. In a typical trial, we do not call witnesses to the stand -- this is both to reduce trial length and to ensure we don't need ten people all online for a trial.
The Judge (or jury, if one exists) looks over the documentations. They take both into account as they see fit.
Prosecution and Defense both make closing statements. The Judge (or jury) render a verdict and the trial concludes.