Fwurg

[Lord-Senator Kachiso Doshima]

"Senators,

The Cabinet has been deliberating about the Ministry of Justice. While its functions are obviously necessary, it rarely has to fulfil its legal functions. Traditionally the Ministry of Justice has performed the tasks of maintaining the senate building and governing Unity, in addition to its legal tasks. However it is rare for disputes between Union members to require resolution by the Ministry of Justice. The other Ministers and I have concluded that it is not necessary to dedicate an entire ministry to this task."

The Chancellor paused a moment.

"To that effect we have come up with the following proposal."

The senate's holoprojectors warmed and displayed the proposal.

The Supreme Court of the Union

• Article 1. The Ministry of Justice will be abolished.
• Article 2. A new institute will be created: the Supreme Court of the Union.
• Article 3. The tasks performed by the Ministry of Justice will be divided among the Ministry of Finance, the Offices of the Mayor of Unity and the Supreme Court of the Union.
  
  • I. The Ministry of Finance will take over tasks related to bureaucracy and the senate.
  • II. The Supreme Court of the Union will take over the tasks of solving legal disputes between Union members, Union law interpretation cases and other legal tasks previously performed by the Ministry of Justice.
• Article 4. The budget of the Ministry of Justice will be divided between the Ministry of Finance, the Offices of the Mayor of Unity and the Supreme Court of the Union, according to the tasks performed by each of them.
• Article 5. The surplus budget, consisting of unnecessary operational costs and contingency budget of the ministry of justice, will be absorbed by the budget of the ministry of finance, to be repurposed at a later time.
• Article 6. The Supreme Court of the Union will have seven chairs, each filled by a Supreme Judge.
  
  • I. The Supreme Judges will be in direct service of the Union. They are not allowed to maintain another position in service of the Union and they cannot be a Senator.
• Article 7. A panel of five Supreme Judges will handle the cases brought before the Supreme Court of the Union.
  
  • I. The members of the panel will appoint a chairperson from among them. ((OOC: The player of this chairperson will also keep an eye out for IC conflicts which represent OOC issues between players -- and can contact those players through OOC means where necessary.))
• Article 8. Each chair on the Supreme Court of the Union will be elected by the Senate.
  
  • I. Each Ministry will provide one nominee for the Senate to vote from, for each chair.
  • II. Voting will be done in accordance with the Union Voting Law.
• Article 9. Each Supreme Judge will be housed on Unity.
  
  • I. Specific individuals can be housed with the Supreme Judge at the judge's request.
  • II. Security will be provided to the Supreme Judge and the requested individuals from Article 9, I under the purview of the Offices of the Mayor of Unity.
• Article 10. Supreme Judges are elected for life.
  
  • I. If a Supreme Judge is determined, by multiple independent experts including at least one Jedi, to no longer be mentally capable of performing their task, they will be relieved of duty and a new Supreme Judge must be elected in accordance with Article 8 of this act.
  • II. Supreme Judges will be provided with any and all medical aid required to physically enable them to continue to perform their task, keeping in line with their right to medical self-determination.
  • III. A Supreme Judge can offer their resignation to the Chancellor. The Chancellor can either reject the resignation or accept the resignation in which case a new Supreme Judge must be elected in accordance with Article 8 of this act.
  • IV. If six Supreme Judges consider the remaining Supreme Judge to be unable to perform their tasks to requirement they can offer an Advice for Resignation to the remaining Judge. This advice will also be presented to the Cabinet and the Senate.
• Article 11. A transitional period will allow all the necessary adjustments to be made.
  
  • I. Every two weeks a Supreme Judge will be elected, in accordance to Article 8 of this act, until all chairs have been filled.
  • II. Each Ministry must provide a new nominee for each voting round.

The Offices of the Mayor of Unity

• Article 1. The Ministry of Justice will be abolished.
• Article 2. A new institute will be created: the Offices of the Mayor of Unity.
• Article 3. The tasks performed by the Ministry of Justice will be divided among the Ministry of Finance, the Offices of the Mayor of Unity and the Supreme Court of the Union.
  
  • I. The Ministry of Finance will take over tasks related to bureaucracy and the senate.
  • II. The Offices of the Mayor of Unity will take over tasks such as the policing of Unity and other governing tasks, pertaining to Unity and Unity City, previously performed by the Ministry of Justice.
• Article 4. The budget of the Ministry of Justice will be divided between the Ministry of Finance, the Offices of the Mayor of Unity and the Supreme Court of the Union, according to the tasks performed by each of them.
• Article 5. The surplus budget, consisting of unnecessary operational costs and contingency budget of the Ministry of Justice, will be absorbed by the budget of the Ministry of Finance, to be repurposed at a later time.
• Article 6. The Offices of the Mayor of Unity will be lead by the Mayor of Unity, who will be appointed by the Chancellor at their leisure.

"We would like to hear the Senate's thoughts on this proposal. As you can see, there will be a surplus budget from removing the Ministry of Justice. This could be used to fund new subsidies or lower taxes."

[Chancellor Dewa Lanadi]

"Needless to say, the Veolian Commonwealth supports this proposal.

In effect this proposal splits up the responsibilities from the Ministry of Justice and distributes them over the to-be-created Supreme Court, the to-be-established Offices of the Mayor of Unity, and the Ministry of Finance.

Due to the singular focus of the Supreme Court it has less overhead costs than a full ministry. Judges are in effect appointed for life-long tenure. Therefore they do not have to fear for their position and are support by the Union. They are free to make the unpopular ruling from neutral grounds should it be necessary.

The Offices of the Mayor of Unity is in the same situation: instead of doing three things, the offices and the Mayor themselves can focus fully on the issues of Unity and Unity City, leading to an improved financial situation. Instead of making this an office of popularity, the chancellor appoints the mayor like many other highly-placed Union officials are appointed. If the chancellor thinks it necessary, they can appoint another Mayor as they see fit.

The final responsibilities are only maintenance of the senate buildings and the bureaucracy surrounding the senate. Both of these tasks are in effect already handled by the Union's bureaucracy, and can easily be placed in the purview of the ministry of finance."

[Lady Peinaili de Montrève]

If the Cabinet, including the minister of Justice have agreed that this is the best course of action the Sundarian Federation will support these proposals if they are put up for a vote.

[Senator Danar Tassar]

"We of the Teprogrenaian Consensus have agreed to this proposal."

[Senator Harek]

"The proposal seem to be well made as it has accounted various scenarios. The separation between the one making the policies and the adjudicate power is good. A independent justice system will lead to fair deals between world. The new Supreme court will be closer to the citizens and the overhead will reduce. We support this proposal."

[Senator Lonco Morubixaba of Skuldda]

"On behalf of my people, I have only one question: 'will this speed up the court process?'"

[Lord-Senator Kachiso Doshima]

"It is possible this may speed up the court process, Senator. At the very least I expect it will have the same speed of the current system."