Legislation

Aasiyah of Anango






Legal Systems
Established
September 29, 2008 02:06PM

Legal Systems













There are two primary legal systems in the cities of Gor, that of the
civil government and that of the Initiate Caste. The areas of
jurisdiction of these two different systems is sometimes vague.
Initiates have jurisdiction in any religious related matter, but are
not restricted from civil matters.



Each of these two court systems will possess their own buildings to
handle their legal matters. For the civil government, their legal
offices will be located within the Mastery of Anango at the Tor. The
Hall of Justice where trials and punishments are conducted is still
under construction and will be held in the Mastery until further
notice. A Hall of Documents where legal and official documents are
securely stored will follow this post. The Initiates will have their
legal offices in their temples.



Within this city, Tatrix Aasiyah, possess the power to change any
law by simple decree. A convening of High Council will be held in all
matters of citizenship and addition to council seats that are to be
filled. The Tatrix is subject to all laws. If a violation of law is
committed, One cannot then retroactively change it to avoid the
violation.



Within this city, there are legal officials of the civil
government. These legal officials will be referred to as magistrates of
a variety of different types. As legal matters fall under the purview
of the Scribe Caste. Magistrates may or may not wear special robes and
fillets, ribbons, to denote their office. They may also carry a wand of
their office and some of those wands may carry concealed blades.
Magistrates are able to act as ex officio witnesses who can certify the
legality of certain matters. They also can rule in certain legal
matters without the need for a trial. All magistrates will be inducted
and recorded and listed in a following post.



Archon:__________ (A records officer TBA)



Perfect:__________(notary officer TBA)



Praetor:__________( Jurisdiction over the business court TBA)



all so named above are subject ultimately to the High Council.

(This praetor was able to attest to a ransom payment of free women)



Anangan law is municipal law, meaning restricted to Our city. But,
Merchant law extends coverage over the various cities. This is Merchant
Law, a joint legal agreement between the various Merchant Castes of
different cities.



Merchant magistrates (TBA)

This magistrate belonging to the Merchant Caste and not the Scribe
Caste, too have the power to make some legal decisions without the need
for a formal trial. They are to be separate from the other magistrates.
Merchant magistrates may or may not wear the traditional white robes,
trimmed with gold and purple.



Criminal defendants are to be kept in the cells at the Hall of
Justice, unless a non-refundable bail is paid, released for return by a
Praetor of the Tatrix or trial by Council has been convened.
All person is presumed innocent until found guilty. During the course
of trial the accused must prove his\\her innocence and the state must
prove his\\her guilt. A slave crime is assets to the Master\\Mistress if
the Owner does not claim responsibility the slave is remanded to the
custody of the state. And penalty or debit is resolved by the council.



"More broadly, order and structure in human life, stability in
society, even, in a sense, civilization itself, depends on sanctions. A
civilization must be willing to impose sanctions, and to impose them
reliably and efficiently. A lapse in such resolve and practice is a
symptom of decline, even of impending disintegration. Ultimately
civilization depends upon power, moral and physical, upon, so to speak,
the will of masters and the reality of the whip and sword."

---Magicians of Gor, p.124





"Before the sword," he said, "there is no right, no wrong, only
fact-a world of what is and what is not, rather than a world of what
should be and what should not be. There is no justice until the sword
creates it, establishes it, guarantees it, gives it substance and
significance." He lifted the weapon, wielding the heavy metal blade as
though it were a straw. "First the sword-" he said, "then
government-then law-then justice."

---Tarnsman of Gor, p.156



The following laws, legal principles, rights and rites exist in,
and are upheld by the High Council of Anango and the Tatrix of Anango
Aasiyah. You do well to remember that all of law will be enforced
with-in this city and none not even the Tatrix is exempt. Cities will
certainly have other laws that are not listed here. As ignorance of the
law is not considered a viable defense, it was imperative that Goreans
be aware of the laws with-in these shores.