Legal system of Mesogeia

Mesogeian law refers to imperial acts of parliament, in addition to imperial edicts and decrees isued by Emperors past and present, which can range from prostagmas, Sigillions, chrysobulls, and framana. Mesogeia has no official constitution, possessing instead an uncodifed consitution consisting of various statutes, ancient customs and established laws.

While Mesogeia is technically a federal state, Imperial law is considered to supersede all regional laws and decrees, having precedence over any laws issued by local legislatures. Being independent from the other two branches of the Mesogeian government, the Mesogeian judicial system consists of a strict hierarchy.

The Monarch and Imperial Edicts

The Mesogeian monarch is by tradition an absolute monarch and de jure an autocrat, with supreme executive, legislative, and judicial powers, while acting as a constitutional monarch in defacto as a result of legal precedents and customs. By virtue of his position, the monarch possesses various legislative and judicial powers including: the right to convene the houses of Parliament at his will and lay legislative proposals before it, the ability to veto any act or proposal by any magistrate or member of parliament, the right to grant imperial assent to legislation, the ability to grant imperial pardons for any offense including capital punishments, he could also prosecute any person who interfered with the performance of his duties.

As a result of his special position the monarch has the ability to issue special edicts or decrees that have the force of law. These imperial decrees can range from prostagmas, Sigillions, chrysobulls, and framana.

• Prostagma are imperial orders signed by emperor in special red ink and usually focused on administrative matters.
• Sigillion: A special legal document enclosed with the emperor's personal seal
• Chrysobull: A special decree having the force of law, affixted with an imperial golden seal.
• Framana: A special mandate, with legal recognition, issued in the emperor's name typically issued in the eastern regions.

Imperial Chief Judge

The Megas Koiastor officially known as Imperial Chief Judge is the president and presiding Judge of the Kritai Katholikoi (The Supreme Tribunal). Responsible for overseeing the justice system in the empire as the overall head of the judiciary. He is by tradition the empire's senior legal advisor as well.

Imperial Tribunals

Supreme Imperial Tribunal

Officially known as the Kritai katholikoi (Universial judges) is the supreme judicial authority in the empire of Mesogeia, aside from the Empress whose word is final. The Supreme Imperial Tribunal consists of 12 members, with 6 members having eccesiastical expertise.

The motions of this court are final and there are no appeals from it, except special instances where the monarch would hear cases as an ultimate final court. Typically the Supreme Imperial Triubunal heals about 200 of the more then 7,000 cases appealed to it

Tribunal of Intercession

The imperial Tribunal of Intercession deals with all appeals from lower tribunals. Because of the size of the empire, there are 4 Tribunals of Intercession located in Pharopoli, Troiana, Chrysopolis, and Fasargadae. These four courts typically handle both civil and criminal appeals.

Local Tribunals

Tribunals below the appellate courts in Mesogeia include various degrees of reigional tribunals and the Imperial High Tribunals of Justice, of which there are 5 special divisions

In addition to this are 5 special Imperial High Tribunals, which is divided into divisions:

• The Tribunal of the Seneschal, having jusrisdiction on matters pertaining to inheritence, trusts, and land laws;
• The Tribunal of the Eparch (Eparchikon Bema): a court with both civil and criminal jurisdiction in and around the capital
• The Tribunal of the Covered Hippodrome, court charged with overseeing and trying cases involving nobles and members of parliament, as well as charges of treason
• The Nomophylax's Tribunal: ecclesiastical court
• The Droungarios' Tribunal: military court responsible for military jurisdiction

Directly below the Imperial High Tribunals of Justice are 10 Satrapal Tribunals with civil and criminal jurisdiction. There are 10 satrapal tribunals for each of the satrapies with reigning monarchs, with tribunals being located in Tibion, Kaisáreia Mazaca, Antiocheia, Pella, Lysimacheia, Memphis, Trebizond, Hekatompylos, Sousa, and Aea. Each judge of a satrapal tribunal is appointed by the respective king of the satrapy. There are however two times the number of satrapies in the empire without Kings, with the cases heard in non-King led satrapies being sent up to the nearest King-led Satrapy.

Below the Satrapal tribunals are various Thematic tribunals with one Thematic tribunal located in each of the 300 or so themes, below which are local judges