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City Governance and Courts

"Why do you insist upon obstructing us in the line of our duty?" inquired the leader of the strangers. "Do you think no report will be made of this to the administration, to the administrator, to the high council?"

"I do not have the keys," said the pit master.

Witness of Gor (Gorean Saga Book 26) Kindle Edition; Location 9656.

 

As the city or state is managed by men, and is armed, it is feared. Goreans prefer to be governed as little as possible. The city or state, on the other hand, which has properties, farms, and such, as well as it support from taxes, often supports public festivals, concerts, performances, and contests, competitions, for example, of strength, speed of foot, archery, javelin casting, riding, singing, drama poetry, dancing, and such.

Conspirators of Gor     Book 31    Page 100

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Government 

The Administrator

  • The Administrator is the supreme civil official. The Administrator must come from one of the High Castes of the city; but is usually from the Warrior Caste.

    • He will be voted into office by the High Council. ​ Elections for this office will be conducted every two Gorean years (6 RL months) or at a time an emergency vote may be needed.

  • Upon establishment of an Administrator, the Laws will thereafter be modified by a two thirds vote of the High Council.​

  • He has the authority to:

    • Settle civil matters

      • Such as reform of the courts and laws

    • Settle economic matters

      • Control and regulation pertaining to commerce. This includes taxation of places such as public auction houses.

    • Has the power to fully pardon, commute/vacate any sentence for any offense under these laws. This power protects citizens against the harassment of unjust or trumped-up prosecution.

      • If he issues a pardon before a Magistrate decides an issue for a specific case, the Magistrate shall not thereafter decide that issue for that specific case.​

      • If he issues a pardon after a Magistrate decides an issue for a specific case, the Magistrate's decision is vacated and overruled for that issue for that specific case.

      • If he commutes/reduces a sentence after a Magistrate decides an issue for a specific case, the Magistrate's decision stands but any punishment or penalty levied by the Magistrate is commuted/reduced for that specific case as stated. 

  • He may ban or implement events, such as contests.

  • He also holds the authority, along with the High Council, to declare a person to be a Warrior of the city.

  • He also may develop alliances with or against other cities as well as sign treaties.

  • He may also make use of a diplomatic agent, invested with full power and authority to transact business on his behalf. This agent may be a Regent to act in his absence within the city, or an Ambassador to handle foreign affairs.

The High Council

  • The High Council of Treve will comprise of elected members from the five high castes.​ Those castes being The caste of Initiates, The Caste of Scribes, the caste of builders, the caste of physicians, and the caste of warriors.

  • Each caste will have the ratio of 1:3 representation to caste members.

  • The High Council maintains the following abilities

    • Amendments and changes to law

    • Decide on judicial matters that involve criminal accusations against the Administrator or Ubar.

    • The ability to create treaties or make declarations of war

  • Petitions from citizens

    • Caste change approvals

  • Appointments to municipal positions in ​Treve.

    • Ambassadors​ 

      • Treve recognizes the role of ambassadors as an office and position, and does not recognize a caste of ambassadors nor does Treve require ambassadors to come from any particular caste.  ​

    • Judiciary Positions

      • Treve recognizes the role of magistrate as an office and position, and does not recognize a caste of magistrates nor does Treve require magistrates to come from any particular caste. Treve further recognizes aediles, archons, praetors, prefects and quaestors as specific titles within the overarching office and position of magistrates.

    • Nominated Praetors must then be confirmed by the High Council.  The Administrator has the power to issue temporary confirmation of Praetors until the next High Council meeting.

    • City Slavers

    • City Clerks, Record Keepers, Historians, Librarians

    • City Builders

    • City Physicians​​

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The Ubar

  • A Ubar will only come into power under specific circumstances.​

    • During this time, the duties of the High Council and Administrator​ will be suspended and martial law declared.

    • His powers will include those of the Administrator and High Council combined.

    • The laws, declared by the Ubar, are written to accommodate a future Administrator, because the Ubar intends to step down when the crisis is over. 

  • If natural disaster befalls the City, spreading the High Council to the winds, or if the Priest Kings destroy the City requiring reconstruction, then a Warrior must step up as Ubar until the Council can be restored. If the warriors follow this man, then he is Ubar. If they do not, he is disgraced. Those seeking to become Ubar by this path would do well to win the hearts of their brothers in arms before making such declaration.

The Court System 

Merchant Magistrate

This is a position dealing in Merchant Law.

The Merchant Magistrate comes from the Caste of Merchants and upholds those laws regarding commerce and goods.

Magistrate

The Magistrate is equivalent to a Praetor.

Praetor (You must apply and be approved.)

  • Responsible for:

    • Interpreting, enforcing and adjudicating any and all civil legal matters

    • Interpreting, enforcing and adjudicating any and all criminal legal matters

    • The Administrator holds the power of pardon and commutation.

Prefect (You must apply and be approved.)

  • Responsible for:

    • Certifying the validity of documents and signatures with a seal

    • Have the power to enact legal enslavement in matters of debt

Archon (You must apply and be approved.)

  • All Archons report findings to the Prefect

  • Responsible for:

    • Investigations into matters of civil law

    • Inheritances

    • Debts

    • Defamation

    • Breach of Contract

    • Personal Injury

    • Destruction of Property

    • Handling matters regarding lost and/or runaway slaves

Aedile (You must apply and be approved.)

  • Has the authority to

    • Maintain public buildings

    • Regulate public festivals

    • Enforce public order i.e. crowd control

Quaestor (You must apply and be approved.)

  • This position is open to any free person of high caste

  • Has the authority to

    • Conduct the accounting of the city

    • Hire accountants to maintain the ledgers

    • Collection of taxes

    • Distribution of monies to the Warrior Caste

    • Distribution of monies for city events​

Scribe of the Law

  • Has the authority to

    • ​Draft contracts

    • Advocate for a person seeking to petition the High Council

Warden (You must apply and be approved.)

  • Has the authority to

    • ​Handle the care and welfare of prisoners
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