The Judiciary

The judiciary system is privatised, as are most systems of this nature. Member Nahumar subscribe to a Law Enforcement Profession (The Police) and also to a Legal Profession (Lawyers) as clients. These in turn subscribe to Para-Court Nahumar and Judgemental Court Nahumar. They need not be related to each other in any way, but pragmatism dictates that they usually have a business arrangement (which speeds up processing, but is also open to public scrutiny).

Note that the performance of all Courts (Para and Judgemental), Legal Nahumar (who supply the lawyers and legal advice) and Law Enforcement Agencies (The Police) are made public by the Auditing Professions - who themselves have to be audited by their competitors (a different one each year). Statistics are compared and citizens may decide to invoke an investigation if something looks 'dodgy'. A successful investigation that brings about an agency being taken to court can have severe repercussions which would reach into the Professions themselves. Thus the Professions tend to keep a close eye on proceedings and the Profession of Professions keeps a close eye on all the legal Professions.

It is the staff members of a Nahumar fulfilling each role that have to be qualified to a certain level in the appropriate Professions that dictate the role of the Nahumar. However, no Nahumar may undertake different roles in the same case - i.e. a Nahumar with Lawyers and Judges may not both defend and try the same case in the same Nahumar. Likewise Police and Legal staff may not both apprehend and then represent the same suspect.

Para-Courts

Para-Courts are not courts as such, but Nahumar that take on the bureaucratic requirements of cases before, during and after the Judgement Courts. They ensure that all documentation is ready, that all legal requirements are met and that everyone and everything will be available for the Judgement Court to enact a trial.

When answering a court summons it is the Legal Professions' responsibility to ensure that there is a pre-hearing with the Para-Court which decides if there is a case to answer. Para-Courts also undertake checks into the background of witnesses and defendants and try to ensure that all aspects of a case are covered and not 'over-looked' by either party. In cases where experts are required the para-Courts will also vet the experts.

Judgement Courts

Judgement Courts undertake court actions very similar to ours. Evidence is presented by both sides and precedents are supplied by the Para-Court. Witnesses are questioned in front of a jury (consisting of ten members) and then this is followed by a summary. The jury retires (to another special secure Nahumar) until they reach a verdict upon which the judge will pass sentence.

Appeals

All cases can go to appeal to a second Judgement Court provided a second Para Court can see a legal justification for doing so. Either way the reasoning has to be explained.

Costs

Costs for all legal actions come from insurance. Failure to have a proper insurance scheme in place is grounds for the dissolution of a Nahumar or Profession, with all the assets being distributed to interested parties according to specific rules and regulations supplied by the Audit Profession.