Justice of the Peace is a legal title created by The Judiciary Act in the early days of the Confederacy. It is given to certain ranking judicial officers, who are themselves referred to as Justices of the Peace (or simply Justices). It is a confederate level position, granting territorial jurisdiction across all ten of the Several States, with the primary focus being less on internal disputes within a State (intrastate) and more-so adjudicating those matters occurring between two or more States (interstate), or between the Confederacy as a whole and foreign nations or foreign unions (international).
A Justice also has authority in certain limited cases, such as matters concerning the capital or matters at sea under admiralty law.
As the name suggests, a Justice is meant to establish both justice and equity in the land of Severa, resolving disputes that individuals cannot or will not correct themselves. However, unlike a typical judge, they are also granted limited powers and duties that would normally be reserved for the executive branch. These include enforcing the peace and maintaining law and order.
Justices are authorized to not only interpret the law, but to execute it as well, and are given the most discretion of any office. For this reason, they are also subject to tremendous scrutiny by the legislature, as well as checks by other elements within the executive and judicial branches, such as the Supreme Court.
Those wishing to become Justices must go through a rigorous process. Firstly, they must be trained in law and have all the normal qualifications of a standard judge. They must also be well-trained in physical combat and the Thelemic Arts, as their duties often require the use of both, such as fighting trials by combat or in raising Chambers and applying the Chains of Fate.
Justices are often easily identifiable when in uniform, which they're required to be in when on-duty. Their general attire is described in Docket #001 - The Summoners. Each Justice also carries a specially-designed sword with an Alphyn seal on the pummel as a symbol of their authority. They are also issued a Notary, which is the juristic person of their office - normally housed in a dagger kept by their clerk.
Examples of past and present Justices of the Peace:
- Jane Steward
- Dean Maynard
- Rob Lexington
- Elijah Blackheart
- Lucy Fellman
- Jay Arwin Arion
- Howard Mason
- Ewen Miller
- Carmelita Sweets
- Theresa Redglare
- Raven Daiquiri
- Justice Relinquish