Case Submission Guideline

The International Court of Justice is both a tool for mediating disputes between players, and a tool for determining the legal status of roleplay conflicts or humanitarian crises. The three mediators will hear each case, and each side will present itself. For out of character disputes between players, the mediators will also be responsible for seeking out corroborating evidence for the claims of each side in the case, as they are the most impartial parties involved at the time.

It is appropriate to seek mediation through the court, for out of character disputes, when one party is seriously offended, disturbed or victimized by the comments or actions made by another player, especially if the offending party is felt to be bending the rules or taking advantage of them simply to antagonize. The mediators will then decide whether or not the complaint is valid, and suggest a punishment to be carried out by the Security Council (who act as the moderators for the forum). Punishments can range from a simple reprimand, to the forfeiture of ill-gotten territory, to the expulsion of the nation from the region, depending on how serious the offence is. Mediators are encouraged to rule based on precedent set in earlier rulings in similar cases, however they should make their decisions on a case-by-case basis. Punishment should also be handed down to players who are found to bring multiple frivolous cases before the court, to discourage such behaviour.

For roleplay disputes, this would involve determining the legal status of in-character conflicts such as declarations of war, intervention in a nation's domestic affairs, or whether or not peacekeeping is warranted in a humanitarian crisis. The purpose and effect of rulings in such roleplay cases would be to permit or deny the involvement of Security Council nations in such roleplay conflicts. Of course, the mediators can't stop the roleplay nations from becoming involved, however they could end up being found in violation of international law, which may trigger a larger conflict involving the Security Council nations.

There are also non-conflict related cases that could be brought before the court, both for roleplay reasons and out of character reasons. The General Assembly or the Security Council could request a legal opinion on a matter, such as the legality of an election or the conduct of an election, or if the Security Council (moderators) wish to take punitive action on a player that hasn't had a case launched against them. It should be noted that the Security Council is allowed to take action against obvious infringements, such as spam, without consulting the court.

As there is currently no court of appeals in place, the rulings of the court are final. However, it is up to the discretion of the Security Council as to whether or not the ruling will be enforced. If you do not agree with the ruling, try to work something out with the Security Council or the Secretary-General (the Admin). The Security Council must not enforce a punishment that hasn't been handed down by the court, if the infringement is not of immediate concern or if the allegations have not been demonstrably proven. This is to prevent the abuse of power which is so common in online communities. Offenders could be stripped of their Security Council status.