-- LAWS AND REGULATIONS
Principle 1: Nobody can expect to be innocent until proven guilty. Everyone can be expected guilty unless proven innocent.
Principle 2: When one is accused by authority (Guards and higher positions), they may not refuse to cooperate and/or disobey the authority, even if innocent. If the accused one is found innocent later, they are compensated. Should they refuse or disobey authority and later proven innocent, they are not compensated and may be also charged for disobedience.
To punish criminals according to their status and graveness of the crime, the town employs several different kinds of punishments. These include but are not limited to: Humiliation (Pillory), Forced Labor, Fines, Confiscation of property, Imprisonment, declaring someone as outlaw or Execution (By hanging or decapitating).
Citizens should be, in some cases, be allowed to walk free after paying. Resident perpetrators should also be offered the way to pay their way out and then apply some banishment, instead of locking them up. Outsiders should be locked up when possible and fined. If they will not pay, lock them up for a longer time.
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I. Light Offences
Guidelines:
- Fines - 1-10 silvers, or up to the worth of the stolen item if it cannot be returned.
Banishment for: 1-5 days
Jail for: 1-3 days
A. Thievery
Everyone who takes property of someone else while acting against the owners wish or without the owner’s knowledge commits crime in terms of the Law. If the stolen products or materials have become a part of larger entity, have been used for the manufacutre/repair of a thing or cannot be reliably or without risking damage to the victim be separated from the posessions of the thief, then the victim may be entitled to be given complete posession of that for which the stolen materials were used for. It should be noted, that only the property of Citizens and Residents will be protected against thievery.
B. Break in/Trespassing (Private building)
Whoever breaks into a house of an individual against the will or knowledge of the owner, or refuses to leave when asked to commits a crime against the law.
C. Disturbance
Everyone who disturbs the calmness and peace in Troll’s Bane by any excessively repeated verbal or physical actions and continues to do so even after official warning, commits crime in terms of the Law. Guards should note that Citizens should not be implicated for this, barring an extremely strong disturbance to others. Sparring within the walls of Troll's Bane without valid reasons (valid reasons being fighting a criminal. A friendly spar is no valid reason) is considered as Disturbance.
D. Assault
Assault is a crime which involves attacking someone with one’s fists or wounding him to the limbs in non-lethal way (and without cutting off the victim’s limbs). Guards should note that only residents and citizens are protected against an assault.
E. Defamation
Everyone who purposely designs and spreads wrong claims to harm someone else or to have own benefit from doing so commits crime in terms of the law. The crime is especially grave if it involves unfoundedly accusing someone in the government or guard baselessly for committing a crime (Then treat as Category III.III crime). Only citizens, guards and others in position of authority are protected against this type of crime.
F. Conspiracy to commit a Crime
Conspiring to commit a crime is now a crime in itself under the law. Should a person be caught in the act of planning, attempting or inciting others to break the laws and regulations alone or in a group, he is subject to the exactly same punishment as he would get for doing the crime. (Treat as category I-III crime depending on the crimes)
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II. Medium Offences
Guidelines:
- Fines - 10-25+ silvers, or up to the worth of the stolen item if it cannot be returned.
Banishment for: 10+ days
Jail for: 7+ days
In the serious cases if the perpetrator flees, the captain of the guard may declare someone as an Outlaw.
A. Claiming false status to Authorities
Claiming to be a Resident/Citizen when you in fact are not is now a crime under the law. When this false claim is done by person who is accused of a crime, he/she can get double the maximum punishment under the law for the crime.
B. Giving false information to Authorities
Lying to the authorities is a crime under the law. When the authorities ask you a question, you should answer truthfully. The punishment varies depending on the magnitude of deception.
C. Obstruction of Justice
Anyone perverting or distorting the course of justice, interfering with law-enforcement or preventing the law enforcement from fulfilling their tasks commits a crime under the law.
D. Resisting Arrest
Resisting arrest through physical or verbal means is a crime under the law. Trying to prevent the arrest of someone, or sheltering him/her else by the same means is an equal crime under the law.
E. Disobedience
Everyone who refuses to follow official orders of the Town Guard or the Government, especially refuses imprisonments, bans or other official punishments commits crime in terms of the Law. Refusing to lower your hood or remove your helmet by the order of authority is also considered as disobedience, unless a very valid reason is specified (being ugly is no valid reason, we will still love you).
F. Robbery
In cases of thievery where the victim is threatened to be harmed by violence the crime has to be considered as Robbery in terms of the Law. When violence is used the crime has to considered as assault or attempted murder and robbery. It should be noted, that only citizens and residents will be protected against Robbery.
G. Threat and duress
Threatening a citizen or a resident with violence, or trying to force them into doing something against his will is crime against the law. Guards or other representatives of authority can never be charged for this without the approval of the High Judge. Residents are protected against threats or duress only within the walls of Trollsbane.
H. Kidnapping
Capturing or holding someone against his will is a crime against the laws. This does not apply to criminals and a guard or other representative of government is never committing a kidnapping. It should be noted, that only Citizens and Residents will be protected against kidnapping. (Kidnapping of a citizen should be treated as III.III crime)
I. Attempted Murder
Attempted murder is a crime where it can be seen that the perpetrator attempted to murder the individual, or that the victim was sufficiently severely wounded to justify that. Guards should note that Outsiders are protected against attempted murder within the walls of the city. (Attempted murder of a Citizen or a Resident should be treated as category III crime)
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III. Serious Crimes
Guidelines:
- Fines 25-50+ Silvers
Banishment for: Good
Jail for: 20+ days
If the perpetrator flees, he should be declared as an outlaw.
A. Spying
Spying for the benefit of other town or organization is a crime under the law. The magnitude of punishment depends on the graveness of the leaks, to which organization/town the spying has been conducted for and the duration of the spying. Always treat the case as category III.III crime until proven otherwise.
B. Murder
When a person is irreversibly killed by someone else, and it cannot be determined that this was in self-defence, it is seen as Murder in front of the law. ((OOC: Only Perma-deaths can be murder))
Anyone accused of Murder who doesn’t turn him/herself in immediately becomes an outlaw.
C. Arson and Damaging of property
Anyone who through fire or any other means, intentionally or unintentionally, damages the property of the town, an individual or a group commits a crime under the law. To encourage caution with fire, even unintentional cases of property damaging will be punished with fines. The minimum fine is 25 silvers but there is no upper limit.
D. Treason
An individual, who alone or in a group, commits any or all of the following acts may be found guilty of treason: Inciting a rebellion. Belonging to, associating with, assisting or supporting a group which plans to overthrow the government of Trollsbane or assassinating a person belonging to or working for the government (or planning to do those individually). Anyone convicted of spying may also be punished for treason, and vice versa.
Revocation of citizenship, branding as outlaw, confiscation of property, extreme fines, a long period of hard labour or death by hanging may be given as punishments for treason, depending on the seriousness of the person’s guilt. All punishments for treason are handed personally by the Governor, or by the captain of the guard, should the governor be absent.
-- APPEALS
When a citizen is accused and punished for a crime other than a light one, he/she has the right to make an appeal to the High Judge of Trollsbane. If the crime the citizen is accused of is severe enough, the case can be appealed to the Governor even after the decision of the High Judge. This is reserved for the most serious crimes only. Should the appeal be seen as valid, the Citizen may be entitled to monetary compensation and an apology. If a monetary compensation is seen as necessary, the exact amount is determined by the Governor.
Residents only have the right to appeal to the High Judge, and cannot further appeal to the Governor.
Punishments given for light offences cannot be appealed under any circumstances.
The Governor reserves the right to overturn any judgement, punishment or release with his veto.