Judiciary of Ventora

The judiciary of Ventora is a 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.

Duchies have their own judicial court systems for matters of duchy laws. At the state level, the judiciary is organized into sets of courts for each type of law plus an armed forces court system.

Courts
At the national level, the court system consists of three tiers and a single State Supreme Court superior to the lower tiers.

State Supreme Court


At the top of the judiciary is the State Supreme Court (Corte Suprema Estatal). It may choose or decline to hear matters appealed to it from any court in the land. The State Supreme Court consists of nine magistrates (dikastés). Three magistrates are professional judges appointed for life by the regent with consent of the Grand Council of State. 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) consist of three professional judges elected to staggered six year terms and two assessors elected from the populace to staggered four year terms. They hear matters referred to them on appeal from a Court of Justice and take decisions by simple majority. There are 27 High Courts of Justice: one located in each of the 26 duchies and one to hear matters related to the military and certain governance-related matters. The High Courts are an that hear all matters on appeal. While the High Courts may have divisions based on types of law, there are not separate High Courts for each type of law.

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.

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.

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 State Supreme Court.

Jurisprudence
Ventora's legal system is a and the courts 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. 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.

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.

Jurors must be at least 20 years old and a Ventoran national who is legally competent without a record of criminal convictions.