Justiciars of Kouralia
The Hovae aþe’Gyustycyaras (Court of Justiciars) is the Cabinet made up of the elected heads of government departments in Kouralia. It is therefore the senior decision-making body in the Central Coronial Government. These Government Ministers are collectively termed 'Justiciars,' though only the seniormost Cabinet Posts are fully Justiciars in the sense of the Coronial Officer. The remaining posts are Justicial Chancellors, and their Government Departments are termed 'Chanceries.' The Court of Justiciars is made up of the Crown Captain of Justiciars as head of government, and five Crown Justiciars heading the most prestigious Government Departments. The remaining Cabinet-Level departments are headed by Justicial Chancellors who do not hold the Coronial Office of Justiciar and are therefore ineligible from assuming the full authority of the Crown in extremis, but who are otherwise entitled to attend all sessions of the Court even if not called to it. Legally speaking, they also exercise the devolved power of the Crown Captain of Justiciars rather than exercising Coronial power in their own right. More junior ministers in government are termed 'Chancellors' in a hierarchy as follows:
- Justiciars are the foremost rank of minister, and head a full cabinet-level Government Department called a 'Justiciary.' Justiciars are appointed by the Crownbearer on the advice of the Crown Captain of Justiciars.
- Justicial Chancellors are below Justiciars in precedence, and lack certain rights and entitlements derived from that Coronial Office. In all other respects however, they head a full cabinet-level Government Department that is termed a 'Chancery' and are only subordinate to the Crown Captain of Justiciars. Justicial Chancellors are appointed by the Crown Captain of Justiciars without recourse to the Crownbearer - though they may be removed by the Crownbearer.
- Chancellors are mid-level ministers who take charge of a particular part of their department and undertake specific delegated duties. They are directly subordinate to their responsible Justiciar or Justicial Chancellor. Whilst they share the term 'Chancellor' with that latter post, their role is distinct and they neither head Government Departments nor have a right of audience with the Court of Justiciars unless invited. Chancellors and Assistant Chancellors are appointed by their respective Justiciar or Justicial Chancellor.
- Assistant Chancellors are the junior-most grade of salaried ministers. Their posts are not inherently linked to that of a Chancellor as their 'Assistant,' and they will have delegated responsibility for a particular area of policy - often one deemed unimportant or niche. The Justicial Statute of 2012 states the Central Coronial Government may only appoint a certain number of salaried ministers, of whom no more than 50 may be Chancellors. This resulted in the creation of this role which does not otherwise have an inherent statutory footing.
- Justicial Secretaries are not salaried ministers, but are included due to their position traditionally being seen as the first rung on the ladder to the Cabinet. They are Senators selected by Justiciars to act as their assistants or as assistants to their Chancery team, but who do not receive remuneration beyond direct expenses.
Constitutional Status
Justiciars are the foremost Coronial Officer defined by the Statutes-Principal barring the Monarch or Interregent. While they are not Coronial Wardens, they exercise their own inherent Coronial Authority and in a state of war they automatically occupy positions in the order of succession for both Centralised and Absolute Crown Authority as well as holding authority over more junior Coronial Officers. Outside of the strict system of Wartime Coronial Authority, easch Justiciar is considered to be an equal. As their power is inherent, they are technically not subordinate to the Crown Captain of Justiciars who acts as a first-among-equals for them for the purposes of dispute resolution and inter-departmental coordination. However, their removal from office by the Crownbearer is on the executive advice of the Crown Captain of Justiciars so to all intents and purposes they rely on the support of the head of government for their continued employment.
Due to the nature of their role it is a necessity that a Justiciar be able to address the Senate of Kurton and the Noble Assembly. Therefore while it is not a requirement, by convention Justiciars are Senators or ELectors. On the rare occasion that someone not already sitting in either house is to be appointed a Justiciar,
Crown Captain of Justiciars
The Crown Captain of Justiciars is the only figure of the Court of Justiciars who is directly reliant on the support of those outside of it to hold office. In order to be appointed to the post they must hold the support of a majority of Senators - directly or in coalition - or else by convention the Crownbearer cannot appoint them to the post. Even if they did, their legislative agenda would likely be highly unsuccessful which would lead to an ineffective government. The Crown Captain is the head of the Central Coronial Government so while constitutionally they are merely the first among equals for their fellow Justiciars, in practice they set the direction for overarching government policy and strategy.
By convention, whoever holds this office also holds the offices of Chancellor for the Crown and Chancellor for the Adjutant CLerk Corps.
First and Principal Justiciar
The appelation of First and Principal Justiciar is not a distinct position that can be held independent of any other. It is also not a mandatory appointment, and at various times there has not been a First and Principal Justiciar. By convention such an appelation is given by the Crownbearer on executive advice of the Crown Captain to one of the other Justiciars. Where given it denotes holding a position as 'Deputy' Head of Government that does not otherwise exist, and if given to a Justiciar other than that for Foreign Affairs then it increases their position in the order of seniority.
Extant Offices
Justiciars
As of January 2022 there are six Justiciar posts in the Kouralian government, though the Crown Captain of Justiciars is not actually termed a Justiciar in title. All of which are filled by different individuals:
Department |
Chancellors |
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Chancellor of the Crown, & Chancellor of the Adjutant Clerks1 |
Sir Barynel Cæryn |
Crown Chancery |
Chancellor of the Senate Chancellor of the Assembly First Justicial Secretary to the Captain Second Justicial Secretary to the Captain Justicial Secretary to the Crown Chancery |
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Justiciar for Public Safety |
Chancellor of Information & Security Assistant Chancellor of Border Security Assistant Chancellor of Emergency Affairs Assistant Chancellor of Safeguarding Justicial Secretary to the Justiciar Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Chancellor of Mystrian Islands Chancellor of the Extra-Terrestrial Assistant Chancellor of Borealia Assistant Chancellor of Norstralia Assistant Chancellor of Immigration & Citizenship Justicial Secretary to the Justiciar Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Chancellor of Finance Chancellor of the Economy Chancellor of Taxation Administration Justicial Secretary to the Justiciar Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Chancellor of Prisons Assistant Chancellor of Misconduct & Corruption Justicial Secretary to the Justiciar Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Chancellor of the Armed Forces Assistant Chancellor of Expedition & Intervention Assistant Chancellor of Resilience & Defence Assistant Chancellor of Veterancy Justicial Secretary to the Justiciar Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
- 1 = By convention, the Chancellorships for the Crown and for the Adjutant Clerk Corps are automatically held by the Crown Captain. This reflects their role in being the conduit between the Crownbearer and the Government as well as having responsibility for compliance with the Statutes-Principal, as well as for regulating good conduct by the Adjutant Clerk Corps.
Justicial Chancellors
There are also 9 posts which are classed as Justicial-Chancellors.
Department |
Chancellors |
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Provincial Affairs |
Chancellor of Provincial Compliance Assistant Chancellor of Altonia Assistant Chancellor of Chieti Assistant Chancellor of the Farlands Assistant Chancellor of Kurtonic Homelands Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Health |
Chancellor of Social Care Assistant Chancellor of Public Health Assistant Chancellor of Primary & Emergency Care Assistant Chancellor of Mental Health Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Feivienas Affairs |
Chancellor of Equality & Opportunity Chancellor of Advocacy & Rights Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Heritage & Conservation |
Chancellor of Pollution & Sustainability Assistant Chancellor of the Environment Assistant Chancellor of Natural Conservation Assistant Chancellor of Civilisation Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Public Works |
Chancellor of Critical Infrastructure Assistant Chancellor of Hydrologistics Assistant Chancellor of Transport Assistant Chancellor of Sustainability & Innovation Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Innovation |
Chancellor of Universities Chancellor of Science Assistant Chancellor of Vocations Assistant Chancellor of Research Investment Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Trade & Enterprise |
Chancellor of Industry Chancellor of Fisheries & Agriculture Assistant Chancellor for Enterprise & Innovation Assistant Chancellor for Investment Assistant Chancellor for International Business Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Thaumistry |
Assistant Chancellor of Investment & Enterprise Assistant Chancellor of Accreditation Assistant Chancellor of Learning & Research Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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Culture, Arts & Sports |
Chancellor of Tourism & Enterprise Assistant Chancellor of Performing Arts Assistant Chancellor of Visual Arts Assistant Chancellor of Sport Justicial Secretary to the Justicial-Chancellor Justicial Secretary to the Chancerial Team |
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