Courts-martial system

The following are regulations for the courts-martial system that have been approved and written by the Admiralty in the aim to set rules that can ensure that every court-martial is fair and has no unneeded complications. The courts-martial system is a serious disciplinary process that requires ample evidence, time and patience. Please remember that the courts-martial system is not to be a process that should be done in haste, the plaintiff and defendant must be given time to prepare an argument/defense. To be clear, the plaintiff is the person pressing charges, and the defendant is the person defending themselves from the charges.

-- Rules that apply to every courts-martial --
For a courts-martial to be held, there needs to be three judges, a head judge and two assistant judges. The minimum rank to be an assistant judge is Master and Commander, and Post-Captain to be the head judge. However, in accordance with the below information, this only applies if the defendant is between the rank of Seaman and Lieutenant.

* If someone fails to follow the applicable (Articles of War, Greenwich and/or Royal Marine Corps regulations) regulations to that group and/or server, it is your duty to make the full admiral of the person/s squadron aware of the conduct of the action and which person/s did so. In a private message to the admiral, include a report of what actions broke which rules, include who bore witness to the event and attach any evidence or any other essential details.
* The admiral of the defendant's squadron will open an investigation that may include gathering statements/evidence from witnesses and reviewing the report from the plaintiff. The admiral will then either advise the charges be dismissed (in which they will give a reasonable explanation as to why this would be recommended) or decide the actions are worthy of court-martial.

* Evidence is an essential factor to courts-martial. The plaintiff and defendant must give the investigating admiral all evidence they have that is relevant to the charges. However, the evidence must remain within the admiralty's walls unless permission by the defendant/plaintiff is given. As well, the defendant/plaintiff has the right to withhold evidence from the public as well as from the opposing party before the court-martial has begun.

* Upon deciding to press charges, the admiral will private message the First Lord of TGNB the admiral's own report, as well as the plaintiff's. The defendant will then be made aware that their actions have been investigated and that they will be court-martialed by the applicable regulations.

* At the admiral's own discretion, they may temporarily suspend the defendant to the appropriate rank divider: Landsman, Warrant Officer, Officer or Flag Officer. However, the defendant must clearly understand that this is a temporary demotion that will be adjusted as the cour-martial verdict decides.

* In accordance with the above information regarding Greenwich, it must also be understood that the same rules imply when court-martialing an officer. If the court decides that an officer (i.e. Lieutenant)  should be demoted to a warrant officer rank and be subject to additional or less work than what the curriculum requires, approval of the Greenwich Academy Board is needed.

* The plaintiff/defendant may have any navy personnel act as a lawyer if they are below the rank of Commodore on the understanding that they will follow these regulations, and can hold the maturity and knowledge to perform the duty of protecting their client. The plaintiff/defendant is limited to one lawyer.

* The plaintiff cannot be court-martialed simply for court-martialing the defendant. If the defendant wishes to press charges on the plaintiff after the original court-martial, s/he may only do so if the plaintiff broke the Articles of War.

* Double jeopardy (Court-martialing someone again on the same charges) is not forbidden and may be done at the Admiralty’s approval.

* On a final note, all members of our Empire are innocent until proven guilty.

-- Rules that apply to specific ranks in every courts-martial --
* When an Enlisted Sailor(Seaman-Boatswain) is being court-martialed;

In accordance with the above regulations, enlisted personnel below the rank of Midshipman have no individual court-martial requirements that need to be met.

* When a Non-Commissioned Officer (Midshipman-Acting Lieutenant) is being court-martialed;
The Captain of his/her ship must be informed that they are being court-martialed, as well as what regulations they are being accused of not abiding to. If accused of breaking the Greenwich Naval Academy Regulations, the Academy Board members must be informed and a discussion between themselves will be held before any punishment is made. The only case in which the defendant's Greenwich rank can be effected without the consultation of the Greenwich Academy Board is if the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) is demoted to Boatswain, in which they will be expelled from Greenwich or if Demoted to Midshipman, in which their tier will be adjusted. Therefore, only the Greenwich Academy Board can decide if a NCO should be given an internal suspension or demotion within Greenwich itself. For more information, please see http://www.roblox.com/Forum/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=125983695

* When a Commissioned Officer (Lieutenant-Captain) is being court-martialed;
If the person being court-martialed is a Lieutenant, the Captain of his/her ship must be informed. If the person being court-martialed is a ship captain (Master and Commander or Post-Captain,) the Admiral of his/her squadron shall serve as the head judge, and s/he will select two officers who outrank the person being court-martialed to serve as the assistant judges.

* When a Flag Officer (Commodore-Admiral of the Fleet) is being court-martialed;
If s/he is a Commodore, Rear Admiral, or Vice Admiral then the Admiral of his/her's squadron will serve as the head judge and therefore, will select two other Admirals who outrank the person being court-martialed to serve as assistant judges.

When a Full Admiral is being court-martialed, the Admiral of the Fleet (if one) or the First Lord will serve as the head judge. The other two Full Admirals will serve as the assistant judges. If the Admiral of the Fleet is being court-martialed, the First Lord will personally conduct the court-martial with no assistant judges, as there is no one else in the Navy superior to the Admiral of the Fleet.

* When the First Lord is being court-martialed;
His Majesty the King himself will personally conduct the court-martial with no assistant judges, as there is no one in the Military superior in rank to the First Lord. The King may choose to have leaders of allied colonial groups act as assistant judges at his own wish.

-- During a court-marital --
* During a court-martial, you are only permitted to speak if called upon, or if you have the podium. Anyone found speaking after being warned, will be removed from the server immediately. Using team chat to hide your message from the judges results in the same punishment.

* During a courts-martial, a party may request to see any evidence involved in the case, if the opposing party withholds the evidence during the court-martial, it is deemed as invalid and cannot be used to support any charges.

* The judges in the trial must give the defendant and plaintiff equal opportunity to explain their case, as well as to call witnesses. Additionally, the previous history of a party may be involved on the understanding that it can only be used to support a party's case, but not be used as a charge.

* A lawyer may speak on behalf of the plaintiff/defendant when explaining a case or when asking witnesses statements. However, when a direct question is being asked to the plaintiff/defendant, s/he must answer, not the lawyer (i.e. during a statement.)

* If a member of the court must leave, the plaintiff and defendant must mutually agree that they are willing to continue the court-martial with a replacement judge, on the understanding that the new judge must review all reports, evidence and statements before the court-martial continues. If the plaintiff and/or defendant object to a replacement judge, the court must be postponed until a later date in which all three judges are once again, present.

-- Post court-martial --
* After the court-martial, the verdict the court agreed upon is to be immediately put in effect. To ensure that the court, defendant and plaintiff are all clear on the punishment (if any) decided, a private message should be sent to the said people, in which it must list the court-martial verdict and if applicable, when it expires (i.e. Suspension.) As well, the verdict of every court-martial must be sent to the First Lord of the Navy.

* By the decision of the Admiralty, a hearing may be scheduled at a later date in which a discussion may be opened to decide if additional action should be taken, or, if the original court-martial verdict should be appealed. However, if the Greenwich Academy Board was involved in the original court-martial and took part in deciding the verdict, they must be consulted again.

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~ Regulations established by the First Lord of the Navy Sir Daniel Sawyer, 1788.
~ Rewritten and commissioned by the First Lord of the Navy Sir Sylus Auguste and Assistant to the First Lord, Commodore Sir Adam Fletcher, 1789.
~ Approved by the Ministry of Justice, a government branch of The Grand Empire of Britannia.