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II. Judicial Standards and Principles
 
  2.3 Justice and Operation of Courts  
  Article 22-Design and Standards of Court  
22.1 Design and Standards of Court  
  A Court of Law is any official gathering of three or more Sovereign men and women undre the by-laws of any free society recognizing their Sovereign Rights for the administration of Justice by which one man o women is consent to be the judge under demonstrated oath to the other Sovereign men and women before them.  
  A Courtroom is any space in which a judge or judges hold court when not otherwise holding court through some other means such as via phone, internet or video links.  
22.2 General Principles of Permanent Courtroom Design  
  Whilst the Office of Judge is by right lower than the Office of Sovereign, the Judge nonetheless represents the presence and demonstration of the Living Law between Sovereign Members. Therefore, the design of a permanent Courtroom must reflect such truth.  
  Even though a Judge is lower in status than those Sovereigns who consent to come before the Judge to seek fair remedy, to place the judge physically lower in height or even equal in height to those present in the permanent Courtroom would be in practical terms to lower the status of Living Law.  
  Therefore the design of the Courtroom must reflect the utmost respect for the Living Law whilst simultaneously ensuring all parties are properly recognized. In respect for the history of the law and evolution of law, some traditions are kept as a courtesy, whilst other deliberate corruptions are permanently removed from any court of law bestowed proper recognition by the Divine Creator.  
  The following design and structural rules shall be the basis of both architecture and form for all permanent courtrooms. Deviation from these design and structural rules shall not be permitted unless passed by a Charteral amendment, including with it a rejection of the principles of visual authority upon which these design rules are conceived.  
  The Bench  
  In honor of the most ancient practices of law of the Roman Empire before its corruption, the place where the Judge is seated shall continue to be known as the Bench being an enclosed raised desk.  
  The bench shall be not less than three metres high from the floor of the courtroom and not more than five metres high. The bench shall always be positioned at the centre of the wall opposite to the main public entrance to the court. Enclosed steps allowing the judge to step up to their seat and down from their seat should be positioned at both sides of the bench. In normal court procedure, the Judge shall arrive to the bench from the left and leave the bench to the right.  
  In front of the judge built into the bench shall be sufficient video monitors to provide immediate display of information, depositions and evidence before the court, including a keyboard and mouse to search the current and historical records.  
  The Great Seal of Jurisdiction  
  Behind the judge and above the bench against the wall shall be placed the great Seal of jurisdiction of the court and the flags of the appropriate Free Society, Global Unions and One Heaven.  
  The Five doors of Justice  
  There shall be not less than five doors into an out of the courtroom.  
  Behind the bench and on either side shall be the two great doors of justice through which the Judge enters and exits the courtroom to their chambers directly behind the courtroom.  
  At the opposite end of the court room shall be the public doors through which all members of the public, all public prosecutorial staff, defense counsel, witnesses and accused that are not remanded in custody shall enter.  
  To the right of the public entrance shall be the door through which all remanded prisoners shall be brought and taken.  
  To the left of the public entrance shall be the door through which the jury shall enter and leave their seats.  
  While such pragmatic constraints such as cost and existing design of buildings may make such considerations prohibitive, in all suits where new buildings or re-fit of buildings for court are considered, this must be the essential design.  
  The Transept  
  In honor of the fact that all courts of The Society are bestowed their authority by the Divine Creator to represent the Living Law, a barrier shall exist between general members of the public and the Bench and parties before the Judge. This shall be known as the Transept.  
  The Transept shall divide the Court between the Nave and the Sanctuary to the Living Law represented by the presiding Judge and Symbols of Authority of the Court. Only men, women and persons that have matters before the court may pass through the Transept to the Sanctuary to have their matter heard.  
  The concept and word known as the "Bar" is forever banned as a term of supreme evil synonymous with the Temples of Ba'al dedicated to corrupting the law and inflicting pain upon all men, women and society at large. Under the Covenant of One Heaven, any Court that demonstrates the existence of the Bar is automatically a court having no authority nor jurisdiction over any thing living or deceased.  
  The jury box  
  To the left of the courtroom, facing towards the bench shall be a raised set of enclosed seats known as the jury box in which all members of a jury may sit in jurisdictions and matters that allow for jury trials. The jury box shall be no lower than one metre and no higher than two metres. Behind the jury box shall be the door to the jury room through which the jury shall enter and exit.  
  The witness stand  
  To the right and directly in front of the bench (when facing the public gallery) shall be the witness stand in which a seated witness recounts any testimony. The witness stand shall be no less than half a metre from the ground and no higher than one metre. It shall be viewable by all members of the jury, by the bench and by the dock.  
  The clerk  
  To the left and directly in front of the bench (when facing the public gallery) shall be the clerk's where the official court recording staff and the clerk of the court shall sit.  
  The table of the prosecuting counsel/suitor  
  The table of the prosecuting counsel or suitor shall be to the right of the bench (when facing the public gallery) at which the suitor (in civil trials) or the prosecutor (in criminal trials) shall sit.  
  Built into the table shall be video monitors to provide immediate display of information, depositions and evidence before the court, including a keyboard and mouse to search the current and historical records.  
  The table of the defense counsel/respondent  
  The table of the defense counsel or respondent shall be to the left of the bench (when facing the public gallery) at which the defendant and respondent (in civil trials) or the defense counsel only (in criminal trials) shall sit.  
  Built into the table shall be sufficient video monitors to provide immediate display of information, depositions and evidence before the court, including a keyboard and mouse to search the suit records.  
  The large information display panels  
  On the wall behind the witness stand shall be large information display panels of sufficient size able to be seen by the jury, lawful counsel and any society member.  
  The purpose of the large information display panels shall be to display evidence to the court that has been transferred into an electronic form.  
22.3 Dress code of the court  
  A court of The Society is a solemn symbol of all justice and law of not only of The Society but One Heaven. All courts bestowed their authority from One Heaven are most sacred and supreme sanctuaries to The Living Law.  
  All those who enter and reside within its walls of a Court of The Society bear witness to a sacred place and the living presence of the Living Law.  
  Therefore, it shall be considered contempt of society itself should a man, woman or person enter a court without proper attire, without proper shoes, without at least a sense of respect of their appearance. Therefore the dress codes as stated in this article shall be borne and upheld not out of tradition, nor out of elitism, nor cultural conservatism, but out of the utmost respect for the Society and the symbols of the Society as demonstrated in a living way through its courts.  
22.4 Dress code of a Magistrate  
  A Magistrate when attending court shall be required to dress in a dark suit, a black coloured vest and multicoloured robe representing the seven (7) unions. Around their neck, they shall be required to wear a white lace collar. The robe and white collar shall represent the symbols of authority of the Magistrate and no other man, woman or person in court shall be permitted to dress in such manner except another Magistrate sitting in judgment.  
22.5 Dress code of a Judge  
  A Judge of all courts when attending court shall be required to dress in a dark suit, a black coloured vest and and multicoloured robe representing the seven (7) unions. Around their neck, they shall be required to wear a white lace collar. Around the collar of their robes shall be gold bands, with each representing a decade of loyal duty as a sitting judge, while on the sleeves of their robe shall be gold bands, with each band representing a level of court of the Society, with the largest number of bands representing a judge of the highest Supreme Court of the Society and the least bands a judge of the district court. The robe, wig and white collar shall represent the symbols of authority of the Judge and no other man, woman or person in court shall be permitted to dress in such manner except another Judge sitting in judgment.  
22.6 Dress code of all court staff, excluding security  
  All court staff are expected to wear black business attire befitting a man or woman supporting the court and judge.  
22.7 Dress code of all lawful counsel  
  All lawful counsel are expected to wear black jackets over business attire befitting their professional standing.  
22.8 Witnesses, Suitor and jury  
  All witnesses, suitors and any members of the jury are required to wear formal attire and be well groomed and presentable to court. No man or woman is permitted to be a witness or member of the jury that is not well groomed and well dressed for court.  
22.9 Defendants/Respondents  
  All defendants/respondents are required to wear formal attire and be well groomed and presentable to court. No defendant/respondent is permitted to enter the court that is not well groomed and well dressed for court.  
  A defendant/respondent shown to be capable and aware of instruction put before them, who disobeys a direct order by the judge and deliberately fails to dress in a manner befitting the honor of the court, having the financial means or having been given the means to do so shall immediately be guilty of contempt.  
  Officers in charge of a defendant/respondent who is currently held in remand who do not provide enough time, clothing or adequate means for a defendant/respondent to dress in a manner befitting the honor of the court and having been specifically warned to do so, shall themselves be liable for contempt.  
     
     
 
 

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