Editing Ministry of Justice

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The Imperial [[Ministry of Justice]] exercises authority over violations of Imperial law, especially when those violations occur on Imperial territory, including within the extrality boundary of [[starport]]s. 
* Judges, justices, and the other personnel of the Imperial justice system are part of the Ministry of Justice. Most higher staff but not all staff are nobles. 
* Because the [[Third Imperium]] is such a distributed power ("[[feudal confederation]]"), few laws have ultimate authority throughout the [[Third Imperium]]. Apart from the use of force, taxation, trade, and interstellar relations on a macro level, the [[Emperor]] delegates most lesser details of [[life]] to local nobles, bureaucrats, and planetary governors.

== Description ([[Specifications]]) ==
The [[Ministry of Justice]] is the managerial authority over many transgressions and violations of [[Imperial Law]]. So long as the event takes place within {{Imperial}} territory, which includes ambassadorial excursions and {{Imperial}} vessels abroad, the [[Ministry of Justice|Ministry]] is the ultimate power behind what is to happen to the criminal(s) in question{{Page cite|name=Agent|version=Mongoose Traveller|page=28}}.

* ''[[Imperial Courts of Justice]]:'' The {{Imperium}} has a network of [[Imperial Courts of Justice]]{{Page cite|name=Nobles|page=67-68|citeName= Nobles6768}} that deal with the main branches of the [[Imperial Law]]: Criminal; Civil; Admiralty and Military
** Criminal Law: [[Imperial Criminal Courts]] deal with crimes. Depending upon the crime, [[Imperial Criminal Courts|criminal courts]] may impose fines, imprisonment, banishment, or the death penalty. In important cases, or cases where capital punishment is an option, a tribunal of [[Imperial Judge]]s is convened to determine the sentence.
** Civil Law: [[Imperial Judge]]s in the [[Imperial Civil Courts]] System adjudicate on disputes between plaintiffs in the interpretation of circumstances in trade, ownership, etc. 
** Admiralty Law: [[Imperial Admiralty Courts]] adjudicate cases involving interstellar trade and shipping – including piracy, barratry (wrongful conduct of crew that results in monetary losses), and hijacking – using an inquisitorial process similar to that used by the [[Imperial Criminal Courts]]. The procedures are also similar: court-appointed investigators and the advocates of the accused present the facts of the case to a panel of one or more [[Imperial Judge]]s.
** Military Law: The [[Ministry of Justice]] does not have jurisdiction over [[Imperial Military Courts]]. Crimes under [[Imperial Code of Military Justice]] including [[War Crime]]s are tried by [[Imperial Military Courts]] under the [[Ministry of Defense]].
* ''Imperial Penal System:'' The [[Ministry of Justice]] also maintains the {{Imperial}} [[Prison World|Prison]] system{{Page cite|name=Agent|version=Mongoose Traveller|page=28}} to house convicted criminals. The subsector dukes oversee the [[Prison World|prisons]] and [[Prison World|exile camps]]. 
* ''[[Police Force|Inquisitorial Branch]]:'' Lastly, the [[Ministry of Justice]] appoints special agents (see [[Imperial Sanction (Warrant)|Imperial Sanction]]) to travel throughout the Imperium to investigate specific cases, and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice. Most of these agents act with the direct authority of the [[Minister of Justice|Minister]], and a few have limited [[Imperial Warrant]]s (Issued under ''Edict 97''{{Page cite|name=Agent|version=Mongoose Traveller|page=29}}), making them personal representatives of the [[Emperor]]. 
* ''[[Imperial Bar Association]]:'' The [[Ministry of Justice]] is the administrator of the [[Imperial Bar Association]]. This association holds a monopoly on representation of clients in [[Imperial Criminal Courts|Imperial Criminal]], [[Imperial Civil Courts|Civil]] and [[Imperial Admiralty Courts|Admiralty courts]], and on non-military representation of clients in [[Imperial Military Courts]].
* ''[[Justice Special Branch]]'' ([[JSB]]){{Page cite|name=High Passage 1|page=32-39}}: This has three sections: 
*# Investigative Office: (Apprehension of persons in the [[Ministry of Justice|MoJ]] who violate Imperial Law)
*# Intelligence Office
*# Security Office
The head of the Administration of the {{Imperial}} legal system, though the [[Ministry of Justice]], is the [[Minister of Justice]].<br>
The most senior judge in the {{Imperium}} is the [[Emperor]].

=== Imperial Jurisdiction ===
So long as the event takes place within {{Imperial}} territory, which includes ambassadorial excursions and {{Imperial}} vessels abroad, {{Imperial}} Jurisdiction applies.

====Taxation & Trade ====
The regulation of Trade is the purview of the [[Ministry of Commerce]]{{Page cite|name=Nobles|page=65}}. Where there are commercial disputes in Interstellar trade, these will be adjudicated in the [[Imperial Civil Courts]]. Where there are breaches of [[Imperial Law]] relating to Interstellar trade this is adjudged in the [[Imperial Criminal Courts]].

====Use of Force====
No information yet available.
* [[Imperial Rules of War]]

=== Interstellar Civil Rights ===
No information yet available.

====[[Sophontic Code (Rights)]]====
Basic rights are given to all sophonts in Imperial space, whether or not they are Imperial citizens. Most famous is the Imperium-wide ban on slavery.

====[[Clonal Code (Rights)]]====
No information yet available. 

====[[Code of Robota]]====
In [[Imperial Law]], Robots are not sentient, are machines and have no rights.

==== [[Treatise on Exotic Life]] ====
No information yet available.

== History & Background ([[Dossier]]) ==
The {{Imperium}} maintains the following court systems{{Page cite|name=Nobles|page=67}}: -
# [[Imperial Criminal Courts]]
## Includes the [[Imperial High Court]]
# [[Imperial Civil Courts]]
# [[Imperial Admiralty Courts]]
# [[Imperial Military Courts]]

With the Exception of the [[Imperial High Court]], where the presiding judge is always the [[Emperor]], High nobles, acting as an [[Imperial Judge]], operate the Imperial Courts. This duty may require acting as a single judge for some important cases, but usually consists of monitoring the actions of lesser Judges and reviewing their decisions. 
* The criminal court is [[wikipedia:Inquisitorial system|inquisitorial]]. 
* Judges are selected by the subsector [[Imperial Nobility#Duke|Dukes]] and are always [[Imperial Nobility|Nobles]]{{Page cite|name=Nobles|page=67}}, but not always peers. Judges need not be trained in law, they may retain a ''court legate'' to advise them in facts of law for a particular case. Important cases require a tribunal of three [[Imperial Judge]]s{{Page cite|name=Agent|version=Mongoose Traveller|page=28}}. The judgement of the court is final and there are no [[Imperial Appeals Court]]s.

===Interstellar Relations & Ministry of Justice ===
No information yet available. 

=== Quarantine Branch & Ministry of Justice ===
No information yet available.

===Institutional Timeline ===
No information yet available.

== See also ==
{{Referral-Tree-Third-Imperium}}

== References & Contributors ([[Sources]]) ==
{{Intermediate}}
{{Detail}}
{{Sources
|S1= {{Ludography cite|name= High Passage 2 |page= TBD}}
|S2= {{Ludography cite|name= Third Imperium 02 |page=14-17}}
|S3= {{Ludography cite|name= Far Trader |page= TBD |version= GURPS Traveller}}
|S4= {{Ludography cite|name= Planetary Survey 6: Darkmoon |page= TBD |version= GURPS Traveller}}
|S5= {{Ludography cite|name= Nobles |page= 67-70 |version= GURPS Traveller}}
|S7= Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology [[Maksim-Smelchak]] of the [[Ministry of Science]] 
}}


[[Category: Imperial]]
{{LE|GT|Institution|Law}}