Citizens of Port Katherine,
I apologize for what will undoubtedly be a long winded bulletin. Lately I have been approached by many members of town who have been looking for various forms of legal assistance. In the hopes of being as helpful as possible, I wish to use this opportunity to detail some of the services I am currently able to provide and what knowledge is currently in my possession, as well as reach out to all of you to see what I should be focusing on in terms of helping out in the future.
Kithiran Law and YOU
Kithira doesn’t have a stated Constitution outlining the contract between sovereign and citizens. Instead, it has a patchwork of legal rulings over the years, a “common law” developed by magistrates and judges, nobles and military leaders, that has created a web of precedent and history that forms what Kithirans think of as “Law”. The Crown, in general, offers protection to its citizens from foreign invasion and - to a lesser degree - from public crime. However, Kithira doesn’t have a politce force, so this is mostly enforced by members of a city militia, or watch, and by local magistrates ruling from citizens arrests.
In general, acting against the Common Law will see someone dragged before a court, often administered by the local magistrate (or, in military outposts, by the local military commanders - In our case, Captain Stanton) to be punished as they see fit, in accordance with precedent and the arguments of lawyers involved. Often, these magistrates or commanders will convene a group of prominent local citizens to advise them on punishments.
Legal Research
As mentioned above, laws are determined by what came before. While any scholar can research previous rulings in court cases, Lawyers are particularly adept at it. I have been trying my best, when I can, to flesh out my understanding of Kithiran Law but unfortunately I can only do so much in the time I am given. To that end, I will list here the subjects that I have already researched - it is my hope that the rest of you will reach out to me with any specific legal matters you think it would be prudent for me to investigate further. So far I have researched:
- Kithiran Civil Rights
- Estate and Inheritance Law
- Marriage Law
- Defamation Law
- Legal Rulings on Magic Use
Please do not hesitate to reach out if you think of another area of the law that it would be useful for us to understand. I have a few items I will be looking into already, but every little bit helps.
Services Offered
There are many legal services I can provide in addition to performing legal research. Rates are negotiable and dependent on the specifics of the individual tasks. Here are a few examples:
- Last Will and Testament: A notarized will that allows you to distribute your wealth and estate in the manner of your choosing. In the absence of a will the law will default to the historical norms of primogeniture.
(Clarify: Wills)
A will can only be used to leave items to OTHER player characters (or NPCs). Wills can not be used to leave your inventory to your newly rerolled player character. Possessions like Land, that need to be purchased with CP, can not be passed on through a will.
- Marriage Certificate, Annulment Papers, Divorce Proceedings: While each culture in Kithira has its own traditions surrounding marriage, these services allow the details of the marriage to remain official in the eyes of the Magistrate.
- Pursue Legal Action/Defend Against Legal Action: Suing someone, or defending against being sued. Speaks for itself mostly. As mentioned above, local court cases will be brought before Captain Stanton, who will serve as Judge.
- Representing Clients During Negotations: Legal advice and support when embarking on a new business venture, or when engaging in dealings with other parties.
As with the legal research listed above, these are just a few of the services available from the Law Offices of Isaac L. Everhart. If any citizens have requests or recommendations for additional services, I would love to hear from them.
Thank you for your time!
Respectfully Yours,
Countess Isaac Everhart, Esq.