Judicial system of Sanama
The Ministry of Justice is responsible for court administration through the Courts Administration Bureau, including salaries, buildings and security through the National Marshal Service. Prosecutions are carried out by the Bureau of the Inquisitor General, headed by the Inquisitor General with subordinate inquisitors at every court. The Ministry has no power over the courts in executing their judicial functions. All judges, including the judges on the National Judex, are appointed by the President of the Union on the advice of the National Judicial Council for 12 year terms.
The courts are organised into three levels consisting of different kinds of courts:
- Police courts, courts of first instance hearing petty crimes such as battery, shoplifting, minor traffic violations and other such infractions. Each case is heard by a police judge.
- Tribunal courts
- Appeals courts
- National Judex
- Constitutional Judex
Judicial system under the Third Republic
Sanama had a national judicial system that covered the provinces under the national government and Highpass, while Thanatos and Cisamarra had separate courts. The National Judex still heard appeals from the high courts of Thanatos and Cisamarra in cases relating to national law. The court also allowed direct appeal, commonly called "the elevator", where an applicant could apply for the National Judex to hear a case at any step in the court hierarchy. The court systems enjoyed constitutional protection from interference by the executive, as well as protection against undue influence from other parts of the government. In the National Judex judges were appointed by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Chamber. Once appointed, Arbiters of the National Judex served for life but could be removed by impeachment for good cause. Local and appellate judges were appointed by the President on the recommendation of the National Judicial Chamber and also served for life.
National courts
The Department of Justice was responsible for court administration through the Courts Administration Directorate, including salaries, buildings and security through the National Marshal Service. Prosecutions were supervised by the Directorate of the Inquisitor General, headed by the Inquisitor General with subordinate prosecutors at every court. However, the Department of Justice had no power over court proceedings, judgements or orders.
The national courts were organised into four levels:
- Magistrate courts, courts of first instance hearing petty crimes and minor conflicts, including the ffaman sawa panels. Each case was heard by a single magistrate, except for proceedings in the ffaman sawa where the elected committee sat as a quasi-judicial court.
- Tribunal courts, courts of first instance organised in each judicial district, with each province making up a judicial district. Each case was heard by a panel of three judges.
- Appeals courts, courts of appeals, one in each appellate circuit covering several judicial districts. Each case was heard by a panel of five judges. The appeals courts also covered Cisamarra and Thanatos, relying on first instance autonomous country courts to hear cases involving national laws, but accepting appeals against those decisions in matters pertaining to national law in lieu of the autonomous country courts of appeals.
- National Judex, supreme national court. Heard appeals from the appeals courts on its own discretion. Each case was heard by a panel of seven Arbiters.
- Constitutional Judex, the name for the National Judex hearing a case where the constitutionality of a law was in question or a question of constitutional interpretation was argued. Consisted of all Arbiters of the National Judex. The court also heard certain appeals from supreme courts in the autonomous countries where national law was involved, or the autonomous country court was charged with overstepping the relevant autonomy schedule of the constitution.
Autonomous country courts
For Cisamarra, see Judicial system of Cisamarra
Highpass
Highpass lacks a separate court system, instead being covered by the national court system.
