Judiciary of Ventora

The judiciary of Ventora is the branch of the government of Ventora that interprets and applies the laws of Ventora to ensure equal justice under law and provide a mechanism for dispute resolution.

Law
Ventora's legal system is a system. As such, the application of law depends on comprehensive legal codes. , consisting of six key documents collectively known as the Fundamental Law of Ventora, underpins all other law in the country. The accused in any case has the right to, fair and equal treatment under the law, and to a trial by jury. The accused may also avail themselves of legal representation, called an advocate (defensor/a), to assist with their case.

Courts
Courts in Ventora operate under an. The courts participate in the investigation of the facts of the case. Procurators serve to lead the investigatory process and prosecution of the case. Below the Supreme Court of the Realm and the highest court in each duchy, the courts specialize by type of law, as follows:
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Duchies have their own judicial court systems for matters of duchy laws. At the national level, the court system consists of four tiers. There are separate courts for each type of law at the lower two tiers. Each higher tier is superior to the lower tiers.

Supreme Court of the Realm


At the top of the judiciary is the Supreme Court of the Realm (Corte Suprema del Reino). It may choose or decline to hear matters appealed to it from any court in the land. The Supreme Court of the Realm consists of nine magistrates (dikastés). Three magistrates are professional judges appointed for life by the regent with consent of the Grand Council of the Realm. The People's Assembly elects the other magistrates to staggered 12 year terms: three are professional judges and three are assessors.

High Courts of Justice
High Courts of Justice (Corte Superior de Justicia) are an charged with hearing all matters on appeal from a court of justice. There are 27 High Courts of Justice: one located in each of the 26 duchies and one to hear questions related to the military and certain governance-related affairs. Each High Court in the duchies has four chambers: criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative. Hearings take place before a panel of three professional judges elected to staggered six year terms and two assessors elected from the populace to staggered four year terms.

Courts of Justice
A Court of Justice (Tribunal de Justicia) hears all matters of serious violations submitted to it by a Court of Inquiry. The Court of Justice also reviews cases of minor matters appealed to it from the Court of Inquiry. A professional judge, who serves a five year term, presides over a Court of Justice and has two assessors to assist him or her. The assessors are lay judges elected from the local population to serve two year terms. The Court of Justice takes its decisions by simple majority. There are separate Courts of Justice for each type of law as well as for criminal offenders aged 10 to 18.

Courts of Inquiry
As the court of first instance, a Court of Inquiry (Corte del Indagación) has responsibility to investigate alleged violations to determine the relevant facts. For serious violations, the court submits its findings to a Court of Justice. In minor matters, the Court of Inquiry adjudicates the case. A professional judge who serves a five-year term presides over a Court of Inquiry. There are separate Courts of Inquiry for each type of law and youth chambers.

Administration
The Judicial Assistancy (Asistencía Judicial), an independent agency, administers the judicial system at the national level. It provides the professional judges, procurators, and other personnel and support services to keep the wheels of justice turning. The 15-member General Council of the Judiciary (Consejo General del Poder Judicial, CGPJ) governs the judiciary and assigns the professional judges to the courts below the Supreme Court of the Realm.

Officers
The Ventoran judiciary is a professional judiciary comprised of qualified personnel. Only Ventoran nationals who are not disbarred may enter into judiciary service.

Professional judges
Professional judges must be qualified as s. They are selected and appointed by the General Council of the Judiciary for each court except the Supreme Court of the Realm. Professional judges complete training at the Judiciary Institute before assuming their duties. Judges have the primary responsibility of fact-finding in order to determine the correct judicial outcome in cases that come before them.

Assessors
An assessor is, in effect, a elected from the populace in the area served by the court to which they are elected. There is no requirement for an assessor to be a qualified legal practitioner to stand for election. Candidates must be at least 25 years old and have no convictions for serious crimes, nor be under investigation for such. Assessors complete training at the Judiciary Institute before assuming their duties with a court.

Procurators
A procurator is designated to lead each case and has responsibility to oversee investigations and other matters relevant to the court's fact-finding regarding the case. In criminal cases, the procurator is the prosecutor and presents the state's case against the accused. Procurators must be qualified legal practitioners. It is not uncommon for a procurator to serve a term as professional judge (or even as an assessor). Many procurators, especially in higher courts, have experience as judges.

Advocates
An is a qualified legal practitioner who serves to provide expert legal advice to defendants.

Solicitors
s are qualified legal practitioners who assist procurators and advocates. They typically are not present during court proceedings, which is the purview of the procurators and advocates.

Investigators
In criminal matters, the Directorate for Criminal Investigations (Dirección de Investigaciones Criminales, DIC), a component of the Interior Commission often provides assistance, particularly in regard to technical matters and expertise. Although a procurator directs the investigatory efforts in general, the investigators are duty-bound to present all facts relevant to the case since the whole purpose is to ensure the proper service of justice with regard to the guilt or innocence of the accused. Although not technically part of the judiciary, investigators are still considered officers of the court due to the nature and obligations of their responsibilities and duties.

Jurors
Jurors must be at least 20 years old and a Ventoran national who is legally competent without a record of criminal convictions. They are the only non-professional court officers since they are drawn from the local populace. Jurors serve for a specific period of time or for the duration of a particular case. Employers must pay wages to their employees in jury service as though were present at their usual workplace, including payments for healthcare and pension trust schemes.

Scriveners and registrars
The scriveners provide the judiciary with administrative support. A registrar is responsible for the official transcript of the proceedings and records for each court.