The North Pacific Legal Code (2 December 2007)

[Grosseschnauzer]

THE NORTH PACIFIC LEGAL CODE

TNP Law 1
Oath of Office

Section 1: Scope of Effect

1 - All government officials, including Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Prime Minister, UN Regional Delegate, Attorney General, and other offices created hrough Ministerial Directive, Legislation through The North Pacific Legal Code, or Amendment to The Constitution of The North Pacific, be they elected or appointed to office, to ensure and protect the ideals of Democracy, Freedom, and Regional Security, shall henceforth be required to take the Oath of Office listed in Section 2 of this Act before assuming their elected or appointed role within The Government of The North Pacific.
2 - All Government Officials, as listed in Clause 1 of this Section, shall be required to take the Oath of Office listed in Section 2 of this bill within one week of assuming office. Any Government Officials already in office at the time of this bill's passage shall be required to take the Oath of Office listed in Section 2 of this bill within one week of this bill's passage, or face removal from office, in accordance with Section 3, Clause 2 of this Act.

Section 2: Oath of Office

The following Oath of Office shall be required for all Government Officials, as according to Section 1 of this Act:

I, (insert forum username), do hereby solemnly swear that during my duly elected/appointed term as (insert government position), I will uphold the ideals of Democracy, Freedom, and Justice of The Region of The North Pacific. I will use the powers and rights granted to me through The North Pacific Constitution and Legal Code in a legal, responsible, and unbiased manner, not abusing my power, committing misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office, in any gross or excessive manner. I will act only in the best interests of The North Pacific, not influenced by personal gain or any outside force, and within the restraints of my legally granted power. As such, I hereby take up the office of (insert government position), with all the powers, rights, and responsibilities held therein.

Section 3: Penalties for Violation

1 - This Oath shall be binding on all government officials as previously covered, and violations of said Oath may be ground for indictment of impeachment charges in a legal Court of The North Pacific, pursuant to the guidelines and procedures laid out in Article IV of The North Pacific Constitution, The North Pacific Legal Code, and the guidelines of The Ministry of Justice.

2 - Any Government Official required to take the Oath of Office as listed in Section 1, Clause 1 of this bill that fails to do so within the allotted time set forth in Section 1, Clause 2 of this Act shall be subject to removal from office following a trial as set forth in Article IV of The North Pacific Constitution, The North Pacific Legal Code, and the guidelines of The Ministry of Justice.

TNP LAW 2
Official Flag

SECTION ONE.
The following flag, as designed by ThelDRan, is adopted as the official flag of The North Pacific:

SECTION TWO.
This Act shall be effective upon its adoption.

TNP LAW 6
Ministry of Communications

Section 1. The North Pacific Wire.

The North Pacific Wire shall be the official News Publication of the region. The North Pacific Wire shall be administered by the Ministry of Communications.


TNP LAW 14
Wartime Provisions

Section 1: Wartime Provisions

No player maintaining a nation in a region at war with TNP may maintain a nation within TNP, or participate in the governance thereof, for the duration of hostilities. Any player found doing so will be stripped of membership in the Regional Assembly and subject to banishment from the region. A "region at war" is any region which has made a formal declaration, or made acts of war against The North Pacific, or vice versa, as deemed by decision by the Security Council. War does not constitute actions taken by or against the North Pacific Army unless the conflict meets the conditions above. A state of war exists until a formal peace treaty, surrender terms, or similar, is/are recognized.


TNP LAW 22
Enumeration of Prohibited Acts

The following acts shall be illegal for Nations of The North Pacific, in both the NationStates region "The North Pacific" and on the off-site forum, unless specifically specified otherwise. Other laws subsequently passed that pertain to these crimes shall modify the articles herein.

Section 1: Treason
A - "Treason" is defined as taking arms or providing material support to a group or region for the purpose of undermining or overthrowing the lawful government of The North Pacific or any of its treatied allied groups and regions as governed by the Constitution.
B - Exceptions may be given to North Pacific Army and North Pacific Intelligence Agency members, with the consent of and notification by both: 1) the Minister of Defense or NPIA Director, respectively, and 2) the Prime Minister. This exception is only valid when on officially sanctioned missions for the purposes of preserving regional security and the Constitution.

Section 2: Espionage
A - "Espionage" is defined as the use of a Nation or Persona within The North Pacific for the purpose of gathering information for a group or region not officially sanctioned by the lawful government of The North Pacific as governed by the Constitution.
B - The information gathered must be of a nature that a person that has not registered on the official forums or has not attained Regional Assembly status would be unable to access it without circumventing real-life legal means.
C - Exceptions may be given to North Pacific Army and North Pacific Intelligence Agency members, with the consent of and notification by the Minister of Defense or NPIA Director, respectively, when on officially sanctioned missions.

Section 3: Sedition
A - "Sedition" is defined as an intentional attempt on the official forums or within the NationStates region "The North Pacific" to incite the Nations of The North Pacific to revolt in a manner not sanctioned by the Constitution.

Section 4: Election Fraud
A - "Election fraud" is defined as the willful deception of voters or residents of The North Pacific with regards to the candidates running, the time and venue of the elections, or the requirements and methods by which one may be eligible to vote or run for office.

TNP LAW 23
Holidays

Cognizant of the role of shared national events in shaping and maintaining the culture of a region, and mindful of the importance of a region's history and the lessons it may contain, The North Pacific hereby recognizes the following annual holidays.

1. The first day of January shall be known as Remembrance Day, and shall provide an occasion for Nations to reflect upon and remember those players who have left the region and the game of Nationstates.

2. The twenty-sixth day of May shall be known as Manumission Day, and shall provide an occasion for Nations to commemorate the end of the delegacy of Pixiedance, and celebrate the return of a democratic government to the region.

3. The seventh day of July shall be known as Constitution Day, and shall provide an occasion for Nations to commemorate the ratification of the Constitution of the North Pacific.

4. The twenty-eighth day of July shall be known as Liberation Day, and shall provide an occasion for Nations to commemorate and celebrate the overthrow of Great Bight, and the return of a native government to the region.

5. The thirteenth day of November shall be known as Creation Day, and shall provide an opportunity for Nations to commemorate and celebrate the establishment of that first and greatest of games, Nationstates; as well as provide an opportunity to enjoy and extend fellowship to our counterparts throughout the NationStates communities.

6. The twenty-third day of November shall be known as Founders' Day, and shall provide an opportunity for Nations to commemorate and celebrate the establishment of the first official forum of The North Pacific, and the establishment through it of the community which has kept The North Pacific as the preeminent region in Nationstates.

TNP LAW 25
University Law Amendments

Section 1. Creation.
A - The North Pacific University is created as an autonomous, independent institution of learning, scholarship and knowledge of The North Pacific.
B - The University may contain one or more special institutes or schools for the training of personnel to be used in the diplomatic, security, law enforcement, judicial, military, or other functions of the Regional Government.
C - The University shall have standing to be a party in a proceeding in any regional judiciary entity.

Section 2. Mission Statement.
A - The goal of the University includes, but is not limited to, the creation of an environment where members’ experience and lessons learned may be shared in an instructional setting for the betterment of all players of Nationstates and the game itself. Further, the University may commission original research which includes, but is not limited to, any aspect of gameplay and the history of Nationstates and The North Pacific.

Section 3. The Board of Regents.
A - The Board of Regents of The North Pacific University is created as the governing body of the University. It shall consist of seven elected members. The elected members shall serve six month terms.
B - The Board of Regents shall elect its own chair, who may vote on any matter before the Board..
C - In the event of an emergency, or where such an action is deemed necessary or appropriate, the chair may refer an appropriate matter to the regional government[, when in the chair's judgment, such a referral is warranted.
D - The Board shall be elected in the first week of March and September by an election in the Regional Assembly. Regents shall be members of the Regional Assembly in good standing during their term. The Board of Regents shall be elected by plurality vote of the Regional Assembly. Vacancies on the board shall be filled by a special election in the Regional Assembly. In all instances, there will be a nomination period not to exceed one week, and a voting period not to exceed one week.
E - The Board shall have power to adopt and modify rules and policies concerning student admissions, course offerings, general faculty procedures, and degree certifications, as well as any other appropriate statements of rules and policy. The Board may adopt procedures for its business. The rules shall provide for who shall preside at deliberations of the board in case of the absence of its chair, and who may serve as Acting Chancellor in case of the Chancellor's absence or inactivity at any time during the Chancellor's term.

Section 4. Chancellor.
A- The chief administrator of the University is the Chancellor. The Chancellor shall be appointed by the Board of Regents during the first week of the months of June and December of each year, and shall serve a six month-term.
B - The Chancellor shall be a ex-officio, non-voting member of the Board of Regents. The Chancellor shall be a member of the Regional Assembly during their term of office.
C - The Chancellor shall be accountable to the Board of Regents for the administrative and operational functions of the University.
D - The Board of Regents shall have power to remove the Chancellor for cause, and that removal may be reviewed by appeal to the Court of The North Pacific.

Section 5. Effective Date.
This law as amended takes effect on its adoption.


TNP LAW 26
Election Dates

This law is hereby enacted to enable an election schedule for the offices and elections prescribed in Article I, Section Three of the Constitution of The North Pacific.

SECTION ONE

The election cycle for the 4-month terms of The Delegate, The Speaker of the Assembly, and CLO members, shall begin on the first day of the months of January, May, and September.

SECTION TWO

The election cycle for the 6-month terms of The Judiciary, including the Chief Justice, shall begin on the first day of the months of April and October.

SECTION THREE

This Act shall take immediate effect.

TNP LAW 27
Proxy Server Usage Law

Article I

Section One

The use of a proxy server by a forum user to conceal a forum user's host server is declared to be a security risk to the region.

1. The use of a proxy server by a Member Nation that is a member of The North Pacific Army or Intelligence Agencies shall require the prior express authorization of said official entity which may be disclosed confidentially to other government officials only in the performance of their official duties.

2. Use of a proxy server by a member Nation that applies for Regional Assembly membership is prohibited, and constitutes a criminal offense that may subject the violator to a permanent ban from the regional forum, ejection from the region by the UN Delegate, or both. This provision may be enforced prior to, or subsequent to, a trial in the manner provided by law.

Section Two

1. Proxy server usage is defined as the use of an IP connection with the intent of rendering a forum user anonymous, aka proxy spoofing, or any such practice designed to allow a member to have multiple accounts on the TNP forum.

Article II

This law shall go into effect immediately upon passage.


TNP LAW 28
Regional Assembly Registration and Membership

Section One. A Law on Regional Assembly Registration and Membership is hereby adopted, as follows:

Regional Assembly Registration and Membership

Article I

Membership Requirements

Section One

Membership in The North Pacific Regional Assembly does not require UN membership, in accorance with the TNP Bill of Rights.  However, the following requirements must be met and confirmed for membership.

1. Assembly member applicants must maintain a nation in The North Pacific.

2.  Each member Nation will by oath, abide by the Constitution of The North Pacific and The North Pacific Legal Code.

3.  Each member Nation shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other nation or region in a manner inconsistent with the Constitution of The North Pacific.

4.  Each member Nation shall refrain from giving assistance to any nation or region against which The North Pacific is taking defensive or enforcement action. Exceptions shall be given to Nations acting with official authorization of the North Pacific Army or Intelligence Agencies, and is subject to the consent of the Cabinet.

5.  The use of a proxy server by an applicant for Regional Assembly member status is grounds for automatic denial of Regional Assembly member] application.

a. Proxy server usage is defined as the use of an IP connection with the intent of rendering a forum user anonymous, aka proxy spoofing, or any such practice designed to allow a member to have multiple accounts on the TNP forum.

Section Two

All Assembly applicants are required to post the following Oath, as their application to join.  The Oath will be posted by the applicant in the thread provided by the Speaker of The Assembly.

Your TNP Nation's name
Your UN Nation's name

I, (forum user name), as the leader of The North Pacific nation of (your TNP nation's name), pledge loyalty to the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Laws of The North Pacific Region, and to act as a responsible member of its society.  I understand that if my Nation leaves The North Pacific region for reasons other than for official government business, that I may be stripped of my right to vote and required to reapply.  I pledge to only register one Nation to vote in The North Pacific.  I understand that my registration of, or attempt to register, multiple Nations to vote in The North Pacific shall warrant the summary withdrawal of my right to vote from all my Nations, past, present, and future, as well as possible expulsion from the Region. I further understand that if any nation under my control directly wages war against the North Pacific, or allies themselves with a region waging war, declared or not, against the North Pacific, this shall warrant the summary withdrawal of my right to vote from all my Nations, past, present, and future, as well as possible expulsion from the Region.  In this manner, I petition the Speaker of The Regional Assembly of The North Pacific region for membership in the Regional Assembly.

Article II

Registrant Processing and Membership Confirmation

Section One

The Speaker of the Assembly, or a deputy so appointed by the Speaker, shall be responsible for processing and confirming the Assembly membership of applicants.

1. The Speaker shall provide and maintain a forum thread for the posting of Assembly applications.

2. The Speaker or assigned deputy, shall respond to applicant requests within 14 days. Failure to respond to the applicant within the specified period will result in automatic admittance of the applicant to the Assembly.

3. The Speaker will work with the forum Administrators and any Intelligence information provided to the Speaker, to ensure applicant compliance with membership eligibiliy.

4. The Speaker or assigned deputy will be responsible to maintain and post an updated list of Assembly members. The list shall be updated no less than once a month.

Article III

Member Removal

In accordance with Article II, Section Three of the Constitution, providing for the removal of unelected goverrnment members, the following methods and instances are provided for removal of Assembly members.

Section One

Violation of the Constitution or Laws of The North Pacific

1. Any Assembly member that has been found by due process to be in violation of the Constitution and Laws of The North Pacific shall be removed with immediate effect by The Speaker.

Section Two

Inactivity

1. Assembly members whose] nation has CTE'd (Ceased to Exist) or who have moved out of The North Pacific when not on offical business shall be removed from membership automatically by the Speaker.

2. Assembly members who fail to indicate their activity on the forum by posting for over 30 days shall be removed from membership automatically by the Speaker.

Section Three

Proxy Use

Use of a proxy server by an Assembly member, without specific official TNP permission for Army or Intelligence purpose, is forbidden and is grounds for immediate removal from the Assembly.

1. Forum administrators shall inform the Speaker in the event that an Assembly member is found to be engaged in the use of a proxy server to access the forum.

2. Upon notification, the Speaker shall immedately remove the offending member from the Assembly.

Section Two.. The Law contained in Section One of this Act shall take effect upon its adoption pursuant to the Constitution. Current members of the Regional Assembly are required to subscribe and execute the oath as enacted by the Law contained in Section One of this Act within one week after enactment pursuant to the Constitution.

Section Three., If, once seven days has elapsed after the Law contained in Section One of this Act takes effect, a member of the Regional Assembly has not executed such oath, they shall be suspended from membership in the Regional Assembly as well as any office or position they may otherwise hold in The North Pacific. This suspension shall be enforced by the use of a temporary mask by forum administration. Once the oath has been duly executed, the suspension shall be lifted promptly and without delay.

 

[Grosseschnauzer]

The Convention on Off Site Property Security

Preamble:

We, the undersigned, disgusted with the inexcusable practice of forum crashing and its attendant evils, wish to use this treaty as a means to work for the eradication of the practice.

Definitions:

Crashing: any action which could cause a forum to go out of service or lose information, including: the deletion of posts, the deletion of the forum, spamming, or any other act of this kind.

Legal: In accordance with the rules of Nationstates as set out on the site.

Off-site property: Any forums, websites or Wiki pages owned or maintained by a Nationstates nation, organization or region.

Signatories: The regions and nations who sign and the organizations on whose behalf they sign the treaty.

Spamming: Any action undertaken by non-region nationals to waste space on forums or to cause forums to crash. This includes any attempts to force a DOS error on forums and any attempts to flood the RMB of a region which is not your normal abode.

Phishing: Any attempts to gain forum controls or passwords by deception, especially by posing as administrators or moderators.


I

We, the undersigned, do agree to adhere to all the regulations set out below and do hereby accept the right of all nations, regions and alliances to create and maintain off-site property without hindrance, annoyance or any behaviour which could prevent the free exercise of this right. We commit to specifically refrain from all forms of forums crashing, spamming and phishing and condemn these acts as illegal and destructive. We also agree that no such act shall be ordered, condoned or accepted as legal by us or those nations and regions whom we represent and influence.

II

We agree that proper geopolitical requirements and cooperation are a key to preventing those who engage in acts proscribed in this treaty from continuing to do so. Signatories to this treaty agree to multilateral cooperation and further agree to enact laws against acts proscribed in this Treaty on a regional or organisational basis as one of the requirements for full membership. To fulfill the second requirement of membership we further agree that nations and entities that engage in these acts will gain no safe haven in member regions and organizations. To that effect we assert the right of all members to bring charges and try those that engage in these acts within their court system.

III

In order to be a member of this Treaty, a prospective member region or organization must meet the above requirements of Section II, ratify it within their region or organization and send a legal signatory to post their acceptance of the Treaty terms within the ACCEL and TWP areas where the original Treaty will be held in trust for all member regions and organizations. This treaty shall be binding and shall remain in effect from the time a signatory is added to the list, to the time they post a request to leave the Treaty. While the decision of a signatory to leave this treaty shall be unfortunate, it shall not be construed as support for, or intention to commit any of the acts condemned in this treaty. This treaty shall be considered supplementary to and not a replacement for any treaty in force between any and all of the signatories.

IV

Given the scope and purpose of this treaty, signing the treaty does not necessarily mean that signatories are in political or diplomatic agreement on any other matter bar the matters attended to in the text of this treaty. It is the hope of the signatories that, given that forum crashing may affect regions of all sizes and political views, this treaty shall be signed by as many regions and organizations as possible. Any and all signatories are hereby granted the right and encouraged to invite others to sign this treaty.

Founding Regions and Primary Signatories:

ACCEL

The West Pacific

Signatories:

Lazarus (qualified. Signed on 08/19/2007)

I, Lewis and Clark, Elected UN Delegate of The North Pacific, with the authority invested in me by the Constitution, hereby sign The Convention on Off Site Property Security (COPS) Treaty and introduce it to the Regional Assembly.

Signed this 18th Day of January, 2008

Approved by the Regional Assembly 23 to 29 January 2008