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The '''Judiciary of Great Nortend''' is the branch of the [[Government of Great Nortend|government of Great Nortend]] that is responsible for resolving disputes between subjects as well as between the [[Government of Great Nortend#The Crown|Crown]] and subjects by maintaining and upholding the law of the land.
[[File:Gordon_Hewart_LCJ_by_John_Lander.jpg|thumb|200px|The Lord Justice of King's Chamber, Lord Blackett.]]
The '''judiciary of Great Nortend''' is the branch of the Erbonian [[Government of Great Nortend|government]] that is responsible for applying the law of [[Great Nortend]]. It is administered through His Majesty's Chancery, the Lord High Chancellour.


==The Law==
The Erbonian legal system is constitutionally based in the concept of “natural right”, which is manifested in the customs, precedents and statutes of the nation. The [[Monarchy of Great Nortend|Sovereign]] as the highest authority in the land, is font of right. The law is applied in the hierarchy of courts which dispense the King's justice.
 
==Law==
{{Main|Law of Great Nortend}}
{{Main|Law of Great Nortend}}
The Erbonian legal system is a mix of customary, regular, civil and statute law, based mostly on an adversarial system. The normal courts (i.e. not the manorial, admiralty, ecclesiastical or martial courts) are in the regular law tradition, often thought of as the Erbonian equivalent to '{{wp|common law}}'. The aforementioned courts apply a mixture of civil law practice with elements of regular law.
The intangible “natural right” is the foundation of Erbonian law. All customs, precedents and statutes are seen as the nation's expression of the “natural right” as applicable from time to time. Practically speaking, therefore, there are three main categories of law :— civil law, criminal law and canon law. These are traditionally considered to involve disputes of “Subject against Subject”, “Crown against Subject” and “God against Subject”.  


There are five traditional categories of 'law', and one category traditionally not considered to fall under the broad term of 'law', despite being a judicial or arbitrative function. These categories are: 1. Criminal law; 2. Common law; 3. Admiralty law; 4. Martial law; 5. Canon law; 6. Petitive remedies (also called 'aequity').
All of these specialised branches of law, such as military law, admiralty law, forest law, mining law, &c., fall into one of these three main categories.


==Courts==
==Courts==
The courts in Great Nortend are not formally normally established individually. Rather, individual judges or justices are empowered to hold court or assize under either commissions by the [[Monarchy of Great Nortend|Sovereign]], or by various deeds, warrants and letters patent. One example of such a commission is a commission ''audiendo et terminando'', which is a general commission to a justice to empower and command him to inquire into all treasons, felonies, misdemeanours and breaches of His Majesty's peace, and to 'hear and determine' them according to law.
[[File:Beverley_Guildhall_Courtroom.jpg|thumb|200px|The main court room in Gibbingham.]]
 
All Erbonian courts exercise the [[Monarchy of Great Nortend|Sovereign's]] prerogative, as the font of right, to “do right” to his subjects. There are two types of court :— the sessions courts and the royal courts. The former dispense “low justice” and deal with misdemeanours and civil quarrels between fellow vassals. The latter dispense “high justice” with the sole right to pass a sentence of death. They also deal with disputes between subjects under the jurisdiction of no single sessions court. There is a system of appeal from the lowest sessions court to the highest royal court.
===Criminal causes===
The criminal court hierarchy tries those persons accused of crimes. Though private prosecutions are permitted, the Crown usually acts as the prosecutor.  
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Court
! Composition
! Jurisdiction
|-
| Petty Sessions
| 3 W.P.s, or 1 S.M.
| Infractions and misdemeanours tried summarily
|-
| Quarter Sessions
| Recorder and 1 S.M or 3 W.P.s.
| Appeals, and misdemeanours and lesser felonies tried with a jury.
|-
| Assize
| 1 Justice
| Appeals, and felonies tried with a jury.
|-
| Court of King's Chamber
| 1 Justice (3 Justices in appeals)
| Appeals, felonies and treason tried with a jury.
|-
| Court of Appeal
| 3 Lord Justices
| Appeals
|-
| Court of the Noble Lords
| 6 Lord Justices
| Appeals
|-
| Court of King in Camera
| The Sovereign and the Lord High Steuard
| Appeals
|-
|}
 
In criminal causes, proceedings must begin by information, indictment or presentment.  


A misdemeanour or infraction is traditionally begun by presentment, asking a court of Petty or Quarter Sessions to examine the evidence and decide whether there is a case to be made.  
The sessions courts are local courts consisting of the manor sessions, the petty sessions and the general sesssions, which try with disputes within a manor, a hundred and the county at large respectively. They are presided over by lay judges, mainly recorders and yeomen of right. While they apply chamber law, they have no power to create precedents by their judgment. New customary rules can be established over time, although this is quite rare nowadays.


A felony or treason may be begun by either information or indictment in the court of Quarter Sessions or a Court of Assize, depending on the severity, but indictment is most common as if a jury should return a verdict of not guilty for a proceeding under information, the court is empowered to hold the informant in contempt. Proceeding by indictment involves drawing up a bill of indictment, and asking a grand jury to determine, by a majority of at least twelve men, whether the bill is a 'true bill' or not (in which case 'ignoramus' will be engrossed).
The main Royal courts are the Court of Chancery Chamber, the Court of King's Chamber and the Court of Common Chamber, collectively known as the chamber courts, which deal with mostly canonical, criminal and civil matters respectively. The two secular courts are staffed by trained judges appointed under the Great Seal of the Realm to serve at the Sovereign's pleasure. Their judgments form the body of chamber law which is binding to an extent on themselves and lower courts upon inrolment on their respective chamber rolls. Furthermore, their justices periodically go on Eyre around the kingdom sitting as Courts of Eyre.  


Where there is a petty jury which must deliver a verdict, the jury may return a verdict of filed convict, filed acquit, clean acquit, and no verdict. A verdict of filed acquit may be appealed.
Appeals from the chamber courts lie to the Court of Counsellours responding to petitions to the [[Monarchy of Great Nortend|Sovereign]] himself. In fact, the court is a sitting of [[Parliament of Great Nortend|Parliament]], presenting its verdicts as “billae” to the Crown for assent. There are also specialised courts of Admiralty, of the Marischal and Constable, of Verders, &c. which exercise principally specialised delegated jurisdiction.


===Common causes===
==Judges==
The civil courts arbitrate disputes between individuals.


{| class="wikitable"
===Lords Justices===
|-
The Lord Justices are the main justices, or rather suitours, of the Court of Counsellours where they are known as Law Counsellours. Lord Justices are appointed typically from senior chamber justices and are members of the [[Parliament of Great Nortend|House of Lords]], being created [[Peerage of Great Nortend#Knight banneret|knights banneret]] by the [[Monarchy of Great Nortend|Sovereign]]. Though they have full voting rights in the House, by custom this is not exercised except in matters of law. The Lord Justice of Common Chamber and Lord Justice of King's Chamber are Lord Justices. The Lord High Chancellour and Lord High Steuard preside over proceedings, but nowadays do not usually vote.
! Court
! Composition
! Jurisdiction
|-
| Manorial Court
| Parish ordinary, Manor steward and 1 J.P.
| Matters between tenants
|-
| Quarter Sessions
| Recorder and 1 S.M or 3 W.P.s.
| Sums less than £30
|-
| Assize
| 1 Justice
| Appeals, and sums £30 or greater
|-
| Court of King's Chamber
| 1 Justice (3 Justices in appeals)
| Appeals, and sums £30 or greater
|-
| Court of Appeal
| 3 Lord Justices
| Appeals
|-
| Court of the Noble Lords
| 6 Lord Justices
| Appeals
|-
| Court of King in Camera
| The Sovereign and the Lord High Steuard
| Appeals
|-
|}


In matters concerning sums less than [[Pound marten|£]]30, the plaintiff begins proceedings by a plaint, which is a written statement setting out to the court the grounds for suit, following which a summoneas may be issued by the court. For more serious matters, which are heard in the Assizes or higher, the plaintiff must purchase a writ of chancery from the [[Ministry of Great Nortend#List of government ministries|Chancery]] to begin his action.
===Chamber Justices===
The secular chamber courts have a total of twenty-four justices appointed from the ranks of Serjeants at Law (''servientes ad legem''). There are two Lord Justices—the Lord Justice of Common Chamber and the Lord Justice of King's Chamber—as well as eleven puisne justices each. The Court of Chancery Chamber is presided over by the Lord High Chancellour with six puisne justices.


The lord of a manor is empowered to hold a manorial court for resolving civil disputes between his tenants, and for other administrative purposes, where proceedings begin by libel.
===Dress===
[[File:GNJudges.png|thumb|200px|Court dress of the royal justices.]]
On festal occasions and red-letter days, all justices wear scarlet robes lined in fur. The fur of all Lord Justices is ermine, whereas miniver is used for Chancery Chamber puisne justices, grys for the King's Chamber and black sable for the Common Chamber. A hood and mantle is worn with the robe with a black silk girdle around the waist. A detachable collar is worn with white bands or jabot as well as a powdered full-bottomed wig. Gloves and lace cuffs are also worn and the black cap is carried. Court dress is worn underneath the robes.


===Ecclesiastical causes===
On normal sitting days, the justices wear scarlet robes in summer and crimson in the winter faced in white, grey or black silk, whether Chancery Chamber, King's Chamber or Common Chamber. This is worn with a casting-hood instead of the full hood. The casting-hood is a hood thrown by the liripipe behind the body, giving the effect of a sash. Justices wear with this 'undress' a short bench wig. Court dress is still worn underneath the robes.


===Specialty courts===
Sessions yeomen justices mostly wear plain black gowns over court dress. General sessions justices, sheriffs, and certain local or county dignitaries wear violet robes trimmed in some sort of silk or fur.


{{GNC}}
{{GNC}}

Latest revision as of 12:16, 28 January 2021

The Lord Justice of King's Chamber, Lord Blackett.

The judiciary of Great Nortend is the branch of the Erbonian government that is responsible for applying the law of Great Nortend. It is administered through His Majesty's Chancery, the Lord High Chancellour.

The Erbonian legal system is constitutionally based in the concept of “natural right”, which is manifested in the customs, precedents and statutes of the nation. The Sovereign as the highest authority in the land, is font of right. The law is applied in the hierarchy of courts which dispense the King's justice.

Law

The intangible “natural right” is the foundation of Erbonian law. All customs, precedents and statutes are seen as the nation's expression of the “natural right” as applicable from time to time. Practically speaking, therefore, there are three main categories of law :— civil law, criminal law and canon law. These are traditionally considered to involve disputes of “Subject against Subject”, “Crown against Subject” and “God against Subject”.

All of these specialised branches of law, such as military law, admiralty law, forest law, mining law, &c., fall into one of these three main categories.

Courts

The main court room in Gibbingham.

All Erbonian courts exercise the Sovereign's prerogative, as the font of right, to “do right” to his subjects. There are two types of court :— the sessions courts and the royal courts. The former dispense “low justice” and deal with misdemeanours and civil quarrels between fellow vassals. The latter dispense “high justice” with the sole right to pass a sentence of death. They also deal with disputes between subjects under the jurisdiction of no single sessions court. There is a system of appeal from the lowest sessions court to the highest royal court.

The sessions courts are local courts consisting of the manor sessions, the petty sessions and the general sesssions, which try with disputes within a manor, a hundred and the county at large respectively. They are presided over by lay judges, mainly recorders and yeomen of right. While they apply chamber law, they have no power to create precedents by their judgment. New customary rules can be established over time, although this is quite rare nowadays.

The main Royal courts are the Court of Chancery Chamber, the Court of King's Chamber and the Court of Common Chamber, collectively known as the chamber courts, which deal with mostly canonical, criminal and civil matters respectively. The two secular courts are staffed by trained judges appointed under the Great Seal of the Realm to serve at the Sovereign's pleasure. Their judgments form the body of chamber law which is binding to an extent on themselves and lower courts upon inrolment on their respective chamber rolls. Furthermore, their justices periodically go on Eyre around the kingdom sitting as Courts of Eyre.

Appeals from the chamber courts lie to the Court of Counsellours responding to petitions to the Sovereign himself. In fact, the court is a sitting of Parliament, presenting its verdicts as “billae” to the Crown for assent. There are also specialised courts of Admiralty, of the Marischal and Constable, of Verders, &c. which exercise principally specialised delegated jurisdiction.

Judges

Lords Justices

The Lord Justices are the main justices, or rather suitours, of the Court of Counsellours where they are known as Law Counsellours. Lord Justices are appointed typically from senior chamber justices and are members of the House of Lords, being created knights banneret by the Sovereign. Though they have full voting rights in the House, by custom this is not exercised except in matters of law. The Lord Justice of Common Chamber and Lord Justice of King's Chamber are Lord Justices. The Lord High Chancellour and Lord High Steuard preside over proceedings, but nowadays do not usually vote.

Chamber Justices

The secular chamber courts have a total of twenty-four justices appointed from the ranks of Serjeants at Law (servientes ad legem). There are two Lord Justices—the Lord Justice of Common Chamber and the Lord Justice of King's Chamber—as well as eleven puisne justices each. The Court of Chancery Chamber is presided over by the Lord High Chancellour with six puisne justices.

Dress

Court dress of the royal justices.

On festal occasions and red-letter days, all justices wear scarlet robes lined in fur. The fur of all Lord Justices is ermine, whereas miniver is used for Chancery Chamber puisne justices, grys for the King's Chamber and black sable for the Common Chamber. A hood and mantle is worn with the robe with a black silk girdle around the waist. A detachable collar is worn with white bands or jabot as well as a powdered full-bottomed wig. Gloves and lace cuffs are also worn and the black cap is carried. Court dress is worn underneath the robes.

On normal sitting days, the justices wear scarlet robes in summer and crimson in the winter faced in white, grey or black silk, whether Chancery Chamber, King's Chamber or Common Chamber. This is worn with a casting-hood instead of the full hood. The casting-hood is a hood thrown by the liripipe behind the body, giving the effect of a sash. Justices wear with this 'undress' a short bench wig. Court dress is still worn underneath the robes.

Sessions yeomen justices mostly wear plain black gowns over court dress. General sessions justices, sheriffs, and certain local or county dignitaries wear violet robes trimmed in some sort of silk or fur.