"DC Op Procedure" by Bulldog351

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Operating Procedures for the Judiciary of Vindex Nation

Effective as of 30 Jan 2020

Produced by
Chief Justice Xander Henderson (Bulldog351)

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District Court of Vindex Nation

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All cases are to be initiated in the District Court by filing a case request through the appropriate form.
The Administrative Office of the Judiciary shall be tasked with maintaining this form and ensuring that appropriate judges preside over each case.

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By default, District Court Judges shall preside over cases at the District Court level, however an Associate Justice or the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court may preside if no District Judge is available,

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if a new judge is being trained through observation of court proceedings, or at the behest of the Chief Justice.

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Prior to the start of a trial, a period for discovery of evidence of no less than 48 hours must be allotted during which new evidence may be submitted to the Judiciary and made available to all parties to the case, including the presiding judge,

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unless all parties to the case consent to forego or shorten this period.

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Litigants may submit to the presiding judge of their trial, for the consideration of the judge and jury (if applicable), no more than one written legal brief containing their arguments and other relevant information to their side of the case.

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All briefs must be submitted at least three hours before the start of the case except with the consent of the presiding judge. Amicus Curiae briefs may be permitted at the discretion of the presiding judge.

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Litigants must submit any motions to dismiss a case at least 24 hours before the set date for trial except with permission from the presiding judge.

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Motions to dismiss a case may be filed only on the grounds that the complaint itself is legally untenable and cannot be enforced by the court even assuming all allegations are true.

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Any other major motion, as defined by the presiding judge and precedent, must also be submitted at least 24 hours before the set date for trial except with permission from the presiding judge.

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Judges must receive and review the legal opinions of both parties to a case upon receiving a motion unless one or both parties does not wish to provide an opinion, and must provide adequate and reasonable time

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and opportunity for such opinions to be submitted. It is left to the judge’s discretion whether the opinions are to be submitted in person or in the form of briefs, and what limitations may be placed upon their duration, quantity, or scale, however

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judges may not set any unreasonable terms in exercising this discretion.

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Trials are to follow the following procedural guides:
For Criminal Trials: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vUDuMBHAHkgz7sIGlKJz1oNnUt8mGzIaseEfBa05fnY/edit

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For Civil Trials: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NefXDlozEhUws5G5H-vl3semYMbBxxen1CT8jSDFxQU/edit

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If a litigant fails to appear for their trial date or send a tagged or Vindex Bar Association certified lawyer to represent them, they shall be tried in absentia if they are the defendant

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and or their case shall be immediately dropped if they are the prosecutor or plaintiff.

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The rulings of judges are to be implemented immediately upon issue unless intent to appeal is signaled, in which case the presiding judge may retain on behalf of the Judiciary any and all damages awarded.

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If an appeal is not filed within 36 hours of the conclusion of the case, the judge must grant the damages to those whom they have been awarded to, however if an appeal is filed the judge must retain the damages until the appeal has

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concluded, at which point they are to be given to whomever the appeal process has determined.