Judiciary of Caphiria

The Judiciary of Caphiria represents the judicial branch of the national government of Caphiria. The Ministry of Justice administers and oversees its overall judicial system. Caphiria has a court system divided into two broad categories - national and local - with five primary courts (prima atrium legis) and several special courts (solutus atrium legis). National courts generally have jurisdiction over all civil and criminal matters triable in the judicial system, whereas local courts are restricted to minor civil matters involving amounts of money up to $1,000,000 and also the majority of criminal and summary prosecutions.

At the apex of the national judicial hierarchy is the Supreme Court (Tribunalis Ultima) which operates independently from the Ministry of Justice. Under the Supreme Court are the intermediate appellate courts - the Court of Appeals - and the primary criminal trial courts called District Courts. At the local level, there are Provincial courts that have authority and original jurisdiction of a single province and are responsible for two jurisdictional orders, civil and criminal. The lowest level court is the prefectural court, which mostly handles small claims civil cases as well as minor criminal infractions.

The Ministry of Justice handles the administration of courts and judiciary, including paying salaries and constructing new courthouses. The Ministry of Justice also oversees the correctional system of Caphiria. Lastly, the Ministry of Justice receives and processes applications for national pardons and proposes legislation dealing with matters of civil or criminal justice. The Ministry of Justice arranges the album judicum - a list of every licensed jurist eligible for judging cases in a lawful court - and decides on the time and place of sessions in every Caphirian court of law. It also serves as the backbone for all of the Imperium's provincial and municipal court systems. Each provincial government possesses its own provinciarum judex, or provincial judge, who is subservient to the Ministry of Justice. While provincial judges have some leniency with their rulings and interpretations of the law, they are bound to the interpretation of the law from the Ministry of Justice as a whole, meaning any ruling in one province will immediately affect the others. Excluding the Supreme Court, every judge and member of the Ministry of Justice is elected alongside every other member of the government each lustrum.

Court system

National

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Caphiria (Tribunalis Ultima) is the highest court within Caphiria and ensures the correct application of law in the inferior and appeal courts and resolves disputes as to which lower court (penal, civil, administrative, military) has jurisdiction to hear a given case. The Supreme Court can reject or confirm a sentence from a lower court. If it rejects the sentence, it can order the lower court to amend the trial and sentencing, or it can annul the previous sentence altogether. A sentence confirmed by the Supreme Court is final and definitive, and cannot be further appealed for the same reasons. Decisions ruled as part of a proceeding in the Supreme Court cannot be overruled elsewhere, unless the relevant law is changed by senatus consultum. Although the Supreme Court cannot overrule the trial court's interpretation of the evidence it can correct a lower court's interpretation or application of the law connected to a specific case.

According to the Constitution, the Supreme Court shall pass judgment on:

• controversies on the constitutional legitimacy of laws issued by the State and Provinces and when the Court declares a law unconstitutional, the law ceases to have an effect the day after the publication of the ruling,
• conflicts arising from the allocation of powers of the State and those powers allocated to State and Provinces, and between Provinces,
• charges brought against the Imperator,
• The constitutional court passes on the constitutionality of laws with no right of appeal.

The Supreme Court is organized into two divisions: a criminal section and a civil section. The court has a general president who is appointed by the Imperator, The Magnus Judex (High Judge), a deputy, and each section has its own president. Cases brought to the supreme court are normally heard by a panel of five judges. In more complex cases, especially those concerning compounded matters of statutory interpretation an extended panel of nine judges hears the case. In addition, in every case submitted to the supreme court, the office of the public prosecutor must state their interpretation of the applicable law, to assist and facilitate the court, in a consultative capacity, in reaching its final decision. The Supreme Court itself is composed of 15 judges that are collectively known as the Council of Supreme Judges (Consilio Judicatis Magnus) for the term of service of two lustra (10 years total): 5 appointed by the Imperator, 5 elected by the Senate, and 5 elected by the ordinary and administrative courts. Candidates need to be either a lawyer with twenty years or more experience, full professors of law, or (former) members of the Ministry of Justice. The Council then elects the Presidents of the court. The President is elected from among its members in a secret ballot, by an absolute majority (8 votes in the case of a full-court). If no person gets a majority, a runoff election between the two judges with the most votes occurs.

Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of Caphiria, with original and appellate jurisdiction to hear cases involving defendants accused of felonies. The Court of Appeals also may hear from the district courts within their borders, or in some instances from other designated national courts and administrative agencies. Three divisions are created within these courts: the criminal division, the labor division, and the civil division, which rules in civil, family and economic law matters. An inspection chamber may be also created to control the courts within the appeal court's jurisdiction

Cases are tried by a jury of six jurors and a panel of three active judges, that is, one judge-in-charge (called "president" of the court) and two associate judges, on first hearing, and a jury of nine jurors and a panel of three active judges on appeal. Lists of eligible jurors are put together at random from the list of registered voters, but both the prosecution and defense have the right to peremptory challenge and can re

District courts

District Courts are the courts of first instance for the national judicial system of Caphiria. The district court is both the court of original jurisdiction and appellate jurisdiction. As an appellate court, it hears appeals from the local courts within its territory, usually in specially designed appellate divisions, or, in the case of smaller district courts, sections. There are also limited cases in which this court has original jurisdiction. District courts are courts of law, equity, and admiralty, and can hear both civil and criminal cases as long as it relates to national law. The district courts exercise original jurisdiction over—that is, they are empowered to conduct trials in—the following types of cases:

• Civil actions arising under the Constitution, laws, and treaties of the Imperium;
• Certain civil actions between citizens of different provinces;
• Civil actions within the admiralty or maritime jurisdiction of the Imperium;
• Criminal prosecutions brought by the Imperium;
• Civil actions in which the Imperium is a party; and
• Many other types of cases and controversies

District Courts have original jurisdiction in felony cases and in civil cases where the disputed amount is over $1,000,000. They also handle bankruptcy hearings. Each District Court trial is presided over by at least one judge: two associate judges are also called in for appellate cases from local courts, or for criminal cases where the maximum penalty would be in excess of one year in prison. Attorneys sit on either side of the courtroom, facing the center. In a criminal case, the accused faces the judges from the rear of the courtroom. The witness box is in the center, also facing the judges.