Chorale__

Lieutenant Laurens Henri Halcourt of Brasca smiled the SONS smile upon reading the missive. He began to polish his armor and encouraged his comrades to do the same!

THE FEAST OF NEW BEGINNINGS

HOSTED BY THE SONS OF PETRA

Turbulent times are just beginning to pass us by. Noblemen, gentlemen, and peasants alike are settling into a new place that we are truly blessed to call home. Stability – a luxury we the People have not been afforded as of late, is once again dawning upon us. In celebration of this, as well as of course the matrimony of the Archduke Constantine and the Archduchess Renilde I, the newly formed Sons of Petra will be hosting a feast at the Barracks in Valfleur. If you are interested in military enlistment, there will be a booth with information present and an officer available to assist in your recruitment.

ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND

Contact Laurens Henri d'Artois with any inquiries.

SIGNED,

Lambert Lawrence, Commander of the Sons of Petra

Laurens Henri Halcourt d'Artois, Sergeant of the Sons of Petra

MEMBERSHIP REGISTRATION FORM

The Most Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Baron Olivier Alexandre Halcourt J.D. SSE SCJ

65, Male

Statement of Expertise: I have worked within the Justice system for over forty five years now, dedicating my life to the cause. As a boy, I worked in the Ministry of Justice and eventually worked my way towards the second-in-command spot of Assistant Solicitor-General until my retirement from the Ministry. Before the passing of my brother and thus my receiving of the Halcourt peerage, I was a member of the House of Commons. After retirement, I was elected to four terms of the City Assembly of Providence as an Alderman, and won the popular vote for Speaker each time. I also served as the Ambassador to Haense and subsequently Vortice. I was soon called upon by Emperor Peter III to sit upon the Highest Court in the Land, the Supreme Court; now also known as the Halcourt Court. I served for fifteen or so years before I was appointed as the Chief Justice, where I am now. I am one of the very few holders of a Juris Doctorate within the Empire, and have studied legal systems and Our Courts for my entire life.

period.

The Baron of Halcourt JD SSE SCJ received the missive and hung it up on the poster-board of the City Estate d'Artois. Attached with the missive would be a note, 

A short and simple response would be issued from the Office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Empire. 

"I have a warrant issued in your name to the Imperial State Army and the Imperial Constabulary that will lead to your detainment once you are put under trial by the Courts of Urguan.

Signed,

The Chief Justice

Baron Olivier A. Halcourt J.D. SSE SCJ"

Lord Olivier, Baron of Halcourt pleads for the Empire to ensure that his wife makes it home safely.

THE IMPERIAL COURTS

The Imperial Courts are a system by which the Emperor's justice is administered. The Courts are empowered by the Emperor's authority to rule on all cases throughout the Empire, divided into Circuits and the Supreme Court. Here, we shall detail the functions of the Court and its structure.

I. The Supreme Court

 (a.k.a The Halcourt Court 1813-present)

The Crown v. Carrington, 1753.

The Supreme Court is a triarchy of judges and the highest court in the realm. Supreme Court Justices are usually veteran justices, and are nominated by the Imperial Crown with Diet confirmation. 

The Supreme Court’s primary functions are as a court of judicial review, and an appellate court.

The Supreme Court’s judicial review is a process by which the Supreme Court resolves conflicts that do not necessarily have a plaintiff and defendant.  In order to initiate judicial review, the Court must achieve a simple majority vote. 

The Supreme Court is the appellate court of the Imperial Courts, whose verdicts are rendered by a simple majority on each charge presented. The Supreme Court also must elect to accept an appeal by a simple majority vote. Each Supreme Court Justice may also issue warrants for search, arrest and enhanced interrogation methods.

Supreme Court Justices

Chief Justice, Baron Olivier A. Halcourt

Associate Justice, Geoff Turgon

Associate Justice, Farooq B. Gray

II. The Circuit Courts

Judiciary aspirants assembling for their interviews with Vice Chancellor Joachim Haas, 1745.

The Circuit courts are the lowest level of the Courts, handling most cases in the Empire. Judges of this court are appointed by the Imperial Crown with Diet confirmation. Their rulings may be appealed to the Supreme Court. They may also issue warrants for search, arrest, and enhanced interrogation methods.

Circuit Court Judges

 Judge, Simon Bastille

Judge, Owyn O’Ceartas

Judge, Tanith Vursur

Judge, Prince Philip Aurelian

III. Court Proceedings

A Chelovek rebel being tortured with a legally issued Court warrant, 1748.

INVOKING THE COURT

Subpoena; a document filed by the Imperial Government  to the Imperial Courts. A Circuit Court Judge may assign themselves any subpoena that falls under their jurisdiction, or otherwise the Supreme Court may assign a justice to a case under that justice’s jurisdiction.

Petition for Summons; a document filed by a subject of the Empire to the Imperial Courts. Filed when and if any subject of the Empire (the Plaintiff) believes their rights or liberties have been infringed by another subject or office (the Defendant) of the Empire. This includes the Imperial Government.

Request for Judicial Review; the document necessary to request that the Supreme Court enact its powers of judicial review upon the requestee’s described dispute. Judicial review does not require a trial but the Court may call for a hearing on the matter. The Supreme Court accepts a request for judicial review by a simple ⅔ majority.

Request for Appeal; the document necessary to request an appeal to a ruling made by any single justice. The Supreme Court elects whether to accept an appeal by a simple ⅔ majority.

ATTENDANTS OF THE COURTROOM

Justice, Judge; the master of the Courtroom, and deliverer of the Emperor’s justice. They determine the sentence of the accused. In a Supreme Court case, all three justices collaborate on both the verdict and the sentence, and determine them by a ⅔ majority vote.

Plaintiff; the one who accuses another of a crime and brings charges against them. They may have solicitors to help prosecute the case, but it is not an unalienable right.

Defendant; the one accused of a crime with charges brought against them. They may have solicitors to help with their defense, but it is not an unalienable right.

Solicitor; legal counsel set to either assist the plaintiff or the defendant based on their expertise on law. There are no restrictions on who can be a solicitor. It is not required that one has a solicitor, nor is it an unalienable right to have one.

Jury; a body that, in circuit court cases, renders a verdict by simple majority. The determination of whether or not a jury is necessary is up to the master of the courtroom. A jury can consist of no less than five, but no more than nine, and must always be an odd number determined by the judge ruling on the case. A jury is selected from the gallery by lottery.

COURTROOM PROCEDURE

1. All rise for the honorable justice, seating themselves when he does.

2. The justice administers the creation of a jury, with a minimum of three jurors but as many as nine, though it must always be an odd number. (if necessary)

3. The jurors are selected by lottery. All potential jurors roll dice, and those with the highest rolls are appointed as jurors. (if necessary)

4. The prosecution presents the charges to the presiding justice.

5. The defense pleads guilty or innocent to the aforementioned charges.

6. The prosecution makes it’s opening statement.

7. The defense makes its opening statement.

8. The prosecution calls its first witness and examines them.

9. The defense cross-examines the first witness.

10. The presiding Justice dismisses the witness.

11. The defense calls the second witness and examines them.

12. The prosecution cross-examines the second witness.

13. The presiding Justice dismisses the witness.

14. The prosecution and defense continue taking turns calling witnesses.

15. This continues until the Justice deems further witnesses unnecessary, or both the defense and prosecution have no more witnesses to call.

16. The prosecution makes its closing statement.

17. The defense makes its closing statement.

18. The Justice orders the jury to a private room to deliberate and render their verdict. (if necessary)

19. The verdict is rendered by a simple majority of the jury on each charge against the defense OR by the Justice.

20. Once the jury has their verdict(s), they privately give them to the Justice. (if necessary)

21. The Justice presents the jury’s verdict or their own, and renders the appropriate sentences.

Issued by the Supreme Court of the Holy Orenian Empire

The Chief Justice 

His Lordship, Baron Olivier A. Halcourt

Associate Justice

The Honorable, Geoff Turgon

Associate Justice

The Honorable, Farooq B. Gray

the first ever character that i created on lotc (wow it rly has been 7 years) was a wood elf named fitonor elmpool, later the gm team made me pk the slot and make him into a human (huh) but like.. he's still an elf, it's weird. i still hop on him from time to time but hardly ever any more unless it's just for fun. 

i joined on vailor and created fitonor, who found this little place called pompourelia (later named istria). i had no clue that it was apart of the empire or anything like that, i just know that some guy came and sold a house to fitonor for free and locked the doors for me (since back then you had to have gold vip to lock stuff). my irl friend @MannyMannyMannyjoined me and played fitonor's brother and we had a cute little shop in felsen called the elmpool brothers. i'm jumping the gun here but basically i made a youtube series about lotc and did like 10 episodes in this pompourelia/istria place before moving fitonor to felsen because it was a bigger city with more rp. he joined the felsen watch and became infamously known for going against the commanders wishes and breaking dress code by wearing a fedora. fedora et imperium (@Lyonharted)

while roleplaying on fitonor with the felsen watch i met some really great friends who i still talk to today, and we even had a skype group for a couple of years before switching over to discord (it's a VERY EXCLUSIVE group called flg which is short for felsen legacy general... only the cool kids know smh)

when @Thatpyrodudemade the empire go boom, fitonor joined the ascended for a little bit and then courland.. the rest is a blur. i've done so much on fitonor but the most memorable thing by far is definitely having been in the throne room of jburg when the de savoie rebellion (i forgot what it's called) started due to the emperor man killing the duke of savoy. 

i really enjoyed playing this character and it made me so many great friends, and i probably wouldn't still be on lotc nowadays if i wouldn't have made the ooc connections that i did while roleplaying as fito!

Upon reading the summons, the Baron Halcourt would send a letter to Aubert Legal Co. 

"Mr. Aubert, 

  I could not help but to see that on your witnesses list that you have summoned Dame Viktoriya I to appear before the Courts. As is prescribed in the Ruling on the Crown v. Tsecsar, the Dame is not permitted entry to the Empire, lest she will receive additional criminal charges with further reparations. This said, I suggest that you re-file your summons with a correction to be made to the witnesses list.

Sincerely,

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, The Baron Halcourt J.D. SSE SCJ"

The Baron Halcourt nodded a couple of times as he read the missive. He looked over to his wife, “Adalene, did you know that Louise was taking part in the Social Season? I do wonder why she is not listed as a Lady, though.. being our daughter and all.” 

Olivier would crumble the missive up quickly and throw it into the trash, quickly drafting one of his own. 

"Carringtons, 

  You have my deepest condolences for the passing of your beloved. I never met her, though I feel deeply for you during these turbulent times. Though not family by blood, but by marriage, we are still here for you.

On behalf of the House of Halcourt,

THE RT. HONORABLE BARON HALCOURT Olivier Alexandre JD SSE SCJ"

RULING ON THE CROWN V. TSECSAR

5th of Owyn’s Flame, 1826

Presiding Justice:

Chief Justice Olivier A. Halcourt

Prosecution:

Sir Charles Galbraith

Defense:

Patrick O’Rourke

Defendant:

Dame Viktoriya Tsecsar

Witnesses:

Anne Eleanore Pruvia 

CHARGES:

202.05B - Where an individual intentionally or negligently commits such an act as to bring about the crippling disfigurement of another, or the removal of multiple digits, this shall be mayhem in the second degree, a felony. 

202.02B - Where an individual intentionally commits upon another an unlawful act of violence which brings about lasting but not permanent injury, incapacitates for any length of time, or utilizes a dangerous weapon, this shall be battery of the second degree, a misdemeanor.

VERDICT: 

Dame Viktoriya Tsecsar (henceforth; the defendant), is found guilty on the felony charge of mayhem in the second degree (205.05B), but found not guilty on the misdemeanor charge of battery in the second degree (202.02B) under the premise that evidence does not provide reason to believe that this act was intentional.

SENTENCING:

The defendant is sentenced to a fine of two-thousand marks made payable to the Imperial State and shall serve a lifetime banishment from the Empire. Should the defendant re-enter the Empire under any condition, they are subject to additional charges.

STATEMENT FROM THE COURT:

Circuit Judge O’Ceartas, while presiding over the case of The Crown v. Tsecsar, expressed disregard to judicial precedents. The Supreme Court ruled in The Crown v. D’Emyth & Brandt that a mistrial cannot be declared by a Circuit Justice. As such, he was replaced by Chief Justice Halcourt and a fresh trial began. All actions, judgements, or otherwise that yielded from the trial headed by Circuit Judge O’Ceartas are declared null and void.

Signed,

The Most Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

Baron Olivier A. Halcourt J.D. SSE SCJ

RP Name: Olivier Halcourt
MC Name: DevoutChorale_
Voted: Yes :)

[!] Attached to the public letter would also be a cease and desist order put out by the Supreme Court.

www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/202572-cease-and-desist-order-kelhus-othaman/

ON BEHALF OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE HOLY ORENIAN EMPIRE,

THE CHIEF JUSTICE, THE RT. HONORABLE THE LORD HALCOURT DOES DEEM IT NECESSARY TO ISSUE A 

NOTICE TO CEASE AND DESIST

to Mr. Kelhus Vladimir Othaman 

Penned and Notarized on this 5th day of Harren’s Folly in the year 1823  by

The Most Honorable Chief Justice of the Supreme Court

The Lord Halcourt J.D SSE SCJ

Court Order made enforceable by 

The Most Honorable Inspector-General of the Ministry of Justice

Garret Darkwood

((OOC: The contents of the letter can only be seen by @Josef_Rippelberg, everything else is public record))
 

happy pride month <3

Dissenting Opinion - Ruling on the Request for Judicial Review: Dangerous Drugs Ordinance; 1813

*This is merely an opinion. This is not an enforceable ruling.

The dissenting opinion of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, The Rt. Honorable Lord Halcourt, is as follows;

     This particular ordinance poses the singular question of; should one person of the Empire who has been placed on the Council of State have the authority to act as a legislature in their own right, and enforce their own writings, in their own right? The opinion of Chief Justice Halcourt is that no, they should not. The Imperial Diet is tasked with crafting and passing legislation, and certain seats on the Council of State; in this case, the Office of the Solicitor-General, are tasked with enforcing their legislation. The ruling in which my colleagues signed on to, sets a dangerous precedence. It sets the precedence of allowing the fortunate few to be the ones who legislate freely, not because they were elected to the Commons; but because they hold an office in which they believe allows them to.

     The Office of the Solicitor-General, as prescribed in the Oren Revised Code, is tasked with the following: 

    601.051 - The duty to develop and maintain the system of Imperial courts, ensuring proper application of law.

  601.052 - The duty to draft laws, both civil and criminal, for consideration by the Crown.

  601.053 - The duty to serve as the chief lawyer for the legal entities of the government, including the Crown and the Council of State, and the power therein to deputize subsidiaries to act in his stead, in this capacity.

  601.054 - The duty to represent the Crown and Council of State in civil cases.

  601.055 - The duty to ensure the proper allocation of legal counsel to those accused of violating Imperial law.

  601.056 - The duty to ensure that decrees, edicts and acts remain consistent with the various instruments of government.

  601.067 - The duty to record judicial precedents and maintain a comprehensive bibliography of judicial rulings.

  601.068 - The duty to identify Justices of the Supreme Court for consideration by the Council of State, and thereafter appointment by the Crown.

  601.069 - The power to staff his office, the Ministry of Justice, in such a way as to provide assistance in his duties.

       Let us focus for a moment on §601.52. This article states that the Solicitor-General does have the right to draft civil and criminal law, though it is only for consideration by the Crown. The Solicitor-General did in-fact have the signature of the Archchancellor on it, though this was completely unnecessary. The Archchancellor is not the Crown. The Office of His Imperial Majesty, the Holy Orenian Emperor, is the Crown. It should have been his signature that was fixated on the ordinance in order for it to be considered legitimate and enforceable. As it says, for consideration by the Crown. This order was not considered by the Crown. It was merely considered by the Solicitor-General who, with a singular stroke of his hand, enacted it into law and put the full force of his Constabulary behind it. 

       In the ruling provided by two-thirds of the Supreme Court, my colleagues argue that drug law passed by the Commons is purposefully ambiguous. How is that conclusion drawn? It is my opinion that if the Commons wanted clarity, and wanted to place a ban on certain drugs; they would have done exactly that. 

In consideration of the above, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, The Rt. Honorable Lord Halcourt, sees fit to conclude; 

    The Solicitor-General should not have overstepped his boundaries and taken it upon himself to legislate on what he thought to be a moral issue; and then used his “constitutional authority” to then enforce his own writing. 

    The Solicitor-General should have instead lobbied M.H.C (Members of the House of Commons) to introduce a bill that would have placed a ban on the same drugs outlined in the Ordinance.

    Ambiguous law can be interpreted freely so long as it is reasonable and within the boundaries of constitutionalism. 

      It is not the prerogative of the various cabinet positions to take ambiguous law and legislate it otherwise. That is the prerogative of the Diet. 

The Rt. Honorable The Lord Halcourt would read the missive and iterate to his kinsmen at the dinner table, "Get a load of this guy! Does he think he will win over our votes by trashing our beloved Alphonse?" he'd then make a 'tsk' sound with his tongue before tossing the parchment in the trash.

RULING

ON THE

Request for Judicial Review: Amendment to the Legal Procedure Act of 1803

Opinion of the Court delivered by Chief Justice Halcourt

Joined by Justice Napier

The opinion and ruling of the Supreme Court of the Holy Orenian Empire, as delivered by the Most Honorable, Chief Justice Halcourt, are as follows; 

      On the Right to Request Judicial Review:

         The public at large cannot be expected to trust their government when their government- the same government that passes these acts, holds the sole right to request judicial review on their own legislation. If a citizen who holds no ranking in society sees fit to question the acts of their government, they should be afforded the right to do so; so long as this questioning is done with composure, and in compliance with the Law of Our Land. 

     On the Circuit Courts’ Ability to Review:

         Precedence must be followed. It has been established in the Legal Procedure Act of 1772 under Article I: Definitions, that “‘Judicial Review’ shall be construed to mean the Supreme Court’s power to review any governmental conduct that may be in violation of existing law”. The Circuit Court has never been afforded the ability to strike down any Act of the Diet, and this ability shall only be afforded to the upper echelon of the Imperial Judiciary, the Supreme Court. 

In consideration of the above the Supreme Court of the Holy Orenian Empire, as delivered by the Most Honorable, Chief Justice Halcourt, sees fit to conclude;

The Court has reviewed the request, and found the amendment unconstitutional. Therefore, the Amendment to the Legal Procedure Act of 1803 shall be considered null and void, no longer upheld as law in application in the Holy Orenian Empire.

The Rt. Honorable The Lord Halcourt SCJ JD SSE would shake his head and roll his shoulders at the missive, "I suppose he was guilty of a war crime; forfeiting the right to trial." 

RP Name: Olivier Halcourt
MC Name: DevoutChorale_
Voted: Yes :)

RP Name: Olivier Halcourt 

MC Name: DevoutChorale_

Voted: Yes 

The Right Honorable Baron of Artois Olivier Halcourt JD SSE was given the missive by his Secretary. As he unrolled the parchment, a smile made way upon his visage and he iterated, “At last, the society reconvenes.”