An open letter to Blackshear, Delegate of TNP.

Esteemed delegate,

It is now six weeks since JAL’s Regional Assembly was denied by the Speaker of the RA. It is almost a month since he was accused of treason. It is a week since the chief justice was due to open his trial, on a date set by him.

The defence team has spent considerable time drawing up and preparing its case. And we were ready to begin on the timetable set by the chief justice. We have observed the chief justice online, and he has posted elsewhere, but he has failed to open the trial or provide a revised timetable.

In the pre-trial discussions it has become obvious that the charges of treason against JAL have been politically motivated, a means of legitimising his exclusion from the Regional Assembly. What other reason could there be for placing him on trial so long after the event? And the only “security threat” that has been presented as evidence are the events of his delegacy months ago. TNP has a tradition of not holding grudges. Dalimbar put his past as a rogue behind him and served as delegate again. Westwind, Gracius Maximus, and others have all been able to put the past behind them. Please give JAL the same chance. The machinations of the speaker and other officials may already have excluded my client from taking part in the latest round of elections, and the defence feels that this trial needs a speedy resolution

However, this is not my major concern at this point. Over the years the greatest embarrassment to TNP has come from drawn out and botched trials. TNP is widely ridiculed for the complexity and impracticality of its legal and judicial regulations. Your current rules for conducting trials are just the latest example. Following in this tradition, JAL’s “trial” is becoming a farce, and TNP is in danger of being a laughingstock. This is an outcome that none in the region would desire.

For the sake of the region, and because of the injustice to my client, I beg you to use your authority as delegate to bring this to an end. Stop the trial, instruct the Speaker to admit my client to the RA (all he is really seeking) and backdate that admission to the date of his application.

Yours respectfully

Flemingovia
Defence counsel for John Ashcroft Land

I have intentionally kept my nose out of this as I suspect I would have been accused of meddling and you would have tried to get the case thrown out on that basis. That said, as of next week, my time here is done, so what the hell.

The TNP court system is worthless. You know that, I know that, everyone without a vested interest in its continuance knows that. However, a significant portion of our ever dwindling membership seem to like it so I've just let it be. As delegate, I've tried not to impose my gameplay preferences on others, to be inclusive of other styles and interests when I can. I get that not everyone appreciates this approach.

All that aside, your client is not some innocent, wronged individual in this case. His deception was intentional (he admits as much when he lamented being caught) and the whole "I was joking" excuse is BS. It's an insult to everyone's intelligence to suggest otherwise.

As to his being some sort of reformed character who's willing to play nice, again, please don't insult our intelligence. His forces have been involved in (at least) two coup attempts on me during my term. He will try again. Make all the legal-sounding claims you like, you will not convince me otherwise.

I have no quarrel with your attempt to ridicule the TNP court into oblivion (which I've always presumed was the point of your involvement in this exercise), you just attached your wagon to the wrong horse.

Feel free to lobby my successor. From my knowledge of those interested in the position, I suspect you'll have a more sympathetic ear.

Blackshear:

The TNP court system is worthless. You know that, I know that, everyone without a vested interest in its continuance knows that.

Click to expand...

And yet the trial goes on despite being recognized as a farce by those in power. Some delegate you turned out to be, spineless coward.

I thank you for taking the time to consider my letter, and for taking the time to reply. I am disappointed with your decision, but respect it.

I am surprised at the angry tone I sense in your reply towards me personally. I fear you have misinterpreted my involvement in this case. My sole concern is that justice in TNP is even handed, and to represent my client to the best of my ability. I am not trying to single-handedly bring down the region's judicial system.

I have no problem with JAL being put on trial for his actions as delegate. But it should have been at the time, not months later. And the same standards of justice should have been applied to others.

I have never said that JAL is, or will be, a Saint. knowing him as I do I have no doubt he will be a tricksy customer. But that of itself is not a reason to deny his RA application. God knows, we have had difficult people in the RA before, and those whose primary loyalty is to other regions.

Sigh. Admittedly, hearing the delegate admit the court system is 'worthless' wasn't terribly encouraging to the new guy here. :/

But speaking from my experiences, courts and judiciaries are fundamentally flawed in almost all regions. There isn't a point in having one 95% of the time, they go unused. This isn't just a TNP problem.

Maybe we should think about simplifying the system radically, rather than just dismissing the court as worthless and calling it a day, though?

Topid:

Sigh. Admittedly, hearing the delegate admit the court system is 'worthless' wasn't terribly encouraging to the new guy here. :/

But speaking from my experiences, courts and judiciaries are fundamentally flawed in almost all regions. There isn't a point in having one 95% of the time, they go unused. This isn't just a TNP problem.

Maybe we should think about simplifying the system radically, rather than just dismissing the court as worthless and calling it a day, though?

Click to expand...

That statistic changes depending on each region and its laws.

Some may use the court system frequently, others for major infractions.

However, it is not my place to give the opinion on an active case. I will say though that there are things that need to be reformed.

As to the Chief Justice's absence, I will address that in the courtroom.

Felasia! Court system! What about my edits?

Oh right, I totally forgot about that. I'm on it right now, you will get a PM tomorrow. >_<

Thanks.

It is a scandal that the Delegate believes our righteous system of due process, which duly protects the rights of all criminals from any punishment except for extrajudicial punishment, is a farce! I demand an immediate apology from the Delegate to the Attorney General's office, the Chief and Associate Justice offices, and to the Security Council as well. Hold on, I'm being informed the Security Council is not the Security Council, and does not have judicial authority. My bad. Just the elected judicial positions then.

I'm totally serious and not being sarcastic or ironic in any way shape or form. It would be a heinous crime worthy of Zemnaya Svoboda to insult me by implying I am being insincere.

Good day.