West Phoenicia Ministry of Justice
The Judiciary of West Phoenicia consists of courts and tribunals, composed of judges and justices, who administer justice in the name of the the nation of West Phoenicia.
The judiciary in West Phoenicia is modelled substantially on the system of courts, with a mix of civil and common law which existed in Greater Phoenicia.
The large number of courts and tribunals in West Phoenicia have different procedural powers and characteristics, different jurisdictional limits, different remedial powers and different cost structures.
The Supreme Courts of the city-states and external territories are superior courts of record with general and unlimited jurisdiction within their own state or territory. They can try any justiciable dispute, whether it be for money or not.
Like the Supreme Courts, the Family Court and Confederate Courts are superior courts of record, which means that they have certain inherent procedural and contempt powers. But unlike their Supreme Court counterparts, their subject matter jurisdiction must be granted by statute.
The Confederate Court can, however, hear part of a dispute over which it has no direct jurisdiction.
The Supreme Court of the Confederate Kingdom of West Phoenicia is the highest court in West Phoenicia except for the Inquisition Tribunal which deals with religious matters. And the West Phoenician International Court of Justice which deals with West Phoenicia vs Other nations.
Ministers
Attorney General: Thuy Swain
- Minister of Justice: Hon. Jacob Bain
- Minister of Corrective Services: Gov Joan Wentworth
- Minister of Police and Emergency Response: Hon Laura Lamb
Courts
Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of The Confederate Empire of West Phoenicia is the highest court in West Phoenicia.
It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all federal courts and over state court cases involving issues of West Phoenicia civil and common law.
In the legal system of West Phoenicia, the Supreme Court is the final interpreter of confederate constitutional law.
The Court consists of the Chief Justice of West Phoenicia and eight associate justices who are nominated by the Prime Minister confirmed by the Senate, the nomination is than presented to the emperor who has power to veto the nomination.
Once appointed, justices have life tenure unless they resign, retire, take senior status, or are removed after impeachment.
The justices are often categorized as having conservative, moderate, or liberal philosophies of law and of judicial interpretation.
Each justice has one vote, and while many cases are decided unanimously, the highest profile cases often expose ideological beliefs that track with those philosophical or political categories. The Court meets in the West Phoenicia Supreme Court Building in Melbourne-Haven, Jackson, West Phoenicia.
Current Justices:
- Chief Justice: Sophia Sinnethopia
- Justice 1: Gaius Gryphon I
- Justice 2: Bradley Curran
- Justice 3: Alan Narrewood
- Justice 4: Thuy Swanston
- Justice 5: Rev Rob Church
- Justice 6: Inga Horne
- Justice 7: Mary Prestonia
- Justice 8: Cate de Vutton
The Inquisition Tribunal:
The Inquisition Tribunal is the highest religious court in West Phoenicia. It's primary cases are against heretics, religious hate groups and prothelyziers.
The Inquisition Tribunal has several different usages;
An ecclesiastical Tribunal the institution of the Ministry of Faith uses to combat heresy Trial of an individual accused of heresy or religious hate crime
The Inquisition Tribunal has jurisdiction over all citizens except for permanent residents or visitors. The overwhelming majority of sentences consist of penances like attending religious classes, going on pilgrimages etc.
When a suspect is convicted of unrepentant heresy, intolerance or hate the Inquisition tribunal has the power and authority to impose harsher sentences of prison terms, the most extreme being burning at the stake.
The main Inquisition Tribunals courts are located in Agape and Selene Valley.
City State Confederate Courts
The nation’s 53 city-state courts are called Confederate Courts. Confederate courts resolve disputes by determining the facts and applying legal principles to decide who is right in areas of civil and criminal cases.
Trial courts include the Confederate judge who tries the case and a jury that decides the case. Magistrate judges assist Confederate judges in preparing cases for trial, they also conduct trials in misdemeanor cases.
Courts of Appeals
There are 10 appellate courts that sit below the West Phoenician Supreme Court. Split into 10 mega districts that encompass all 53 city-state. The appellate court’s task is to determine whether or not the law was applied correctly in the trial court. Appeals courts consist of three judges and do not use a jury.
A court of appeals hears challenges to district court decisions from courts located within its mega district as well as appeals from decisions of federal administrative agencies.