Union court system

Union Courts are part of the Justice Department.
 * Supreme Court
 * Sector Courts
 * District Courts
 * Regional Courts

The Assembly authorizes the Justice Department to carry out Law Enforcement and operate Courts. The Council of Union Justice consists of a body of law experts, Judges and Lawyers who elect a Supreme Chief Justice ( Council Chairman). The Bar (Federal Association of all Lawyers, Judges and Advocates), the Citizens Law Office, the Alien Law Panel, theOffice of Corrections elect the Supreme Chief Justice every 10 years. The Council of Union Justice elects the nine Supreme Court Judges. The Bar and the Citizens Law Office Staff the Offices of the Pro and Contra Debaters.

Courts of higher instance - Order

The Assembly [1]--> Supreme Court --> Sector Courts --> District Courts --> Regional Courts

 A Case is brought before the Supreme Court and it is debated by a Team of Pro Debaters and a Team of Contra Debaters (Evidence is brought forward and related to the Court and The Supreme Court Jury ( 12 randomly selected Assembly Representatives). The Supreme Court Jury decides if the Case is to be brought before the Assembly and be voted on ( If it is against an existing Law ,the Law in question is openly reviewed) If the SCJ decides it is not to go before the Assembly, the Nine Judges rule and a Majority Vote among the Judges decide. (The Supreme Chief Justice has no role in actual Cases)

 Cases that have brought before a District Court and have been challenged go to a Sector Court. Cases that are challenged before a Sector Court can go before the Supreme Court. A Supreme Court decision can be challenged and brought before the Assembly. ( It must been accepted by the Supreme Court Jury. A case can be brought directly before the Assembly but it is not recommended. Simply because the Assembly usually judges much harsher and spends much less time on hearing the case. Every Union citizen has the right to bring any Complaint before a Union Judge. It is the Job of Federal Court Clerks to prepare a Case and see if the Complaint of the Citizen is indeed compatible with Federal Laws.

For Example : Complaining that it rains too much during a certain time of year on a Colony Planet might not sound like an Issue a Union Judge should hear, but if the Court Clerk finds that the Citizen did not get Federal Assistance from the Colonist Bureau while his Neighbor did, then he has a case. (The Court Clerk has the responsibility to advise the Citizen how to obtain Weather control Grants, help with a different crop and other advise and help from whatever Federal or civil source)

Another Case might be that a local law prohibits a certain group of people in a Union Member society to go toUnion School, so a member or the entire group may complain and a case is prepared.

The Citizen Law Office is an independent group of Individuals (Not lawyers or Judges) who have the right to control Judges, Courts and Lawyers and verify that these individuals indeed follow Union Law and dispense Justice with the blind eyes of Justice.(All are equal before the Law is the much more than a Phrase in the Union and great efforts have and are taken to make sure it is indeed so. The highest crime anyone can commit is being Corrupt. In the 3000 Years of Union Court History only seven Judges and 23 Union Lawyers (Debaters) have ever been found guilty of Corruption (and 5 of the Judges came from the Peace Hawk Debacle). These 30 Individuals have been slow hanged and their bodies preserved in transparent Duraplast. These 30 Individuals are displayed in the Entrance Hall of the Hall of Justice (Justice Academy).

[1] The Assembly is also a court and supercedes all courts and laws. Meaning if the Assembly finds a party or person guilty/ not guilty the decission is final regardless of evidence, witness accounts or circumstances. For example John Smith killed Sam Jones and he or his lawyer decided to take it to the Assembly as a final appeal. The Assembly will create a docket and hear his case. This is not a court case with evidence and witnesses, poly analyzers etc. The accused was already found guilty by Union Courts, but he states his reasons why he did it or why he should not be guilty and the Assembly votes on his case. The Assembly decission is final. If they agree with Smith it does not matter if he killed Sam Jones. Smith is free and the case closed for good. If they disagree, his wait is over. The Assembly issues a sentence and it is executed right away.