StarWarsLaw

  After a remarkably long period of consistent legal doctrines, the Galaxy has seen dramatic shifts in governing laws over the past 30 years as the Republic declined, the Empire ascended--and was subsequently defeated--and the New Republic was then established.  Each regime has had a governing legal document that set forth various principles establishing  rules of conduct, and each with a different focus. 1)  The Galactic Constitution The Galactic Constitution was the basis for Galactic law for over 25,000 years.  It established the Republic on the principles of freedom, justice, and democracy, with a core element being the Rights of Sentience.  This particular clause outlawed slavery, holding that all conscious, sentient life forms deserved equal freedoms and rights in the Republic.  The Galactic Constitution also created a government that contained an Executive Branch, led by the Supreme Chancellor; a Legislative Branch that invested powers with the ...

Like most of the workings of the Galaxy, comprehensive and accredited legal education is focused mostly within the Core worlds.  The Galactic Bar Association (GBA) is the governing body that oversees school admission standards, curriculum, and professional certification. There are about 150 GBA-accredited law schools scattered across the Core, but the most four most prestigious and competitive are: The Coruscant College of Law; Corellia University Law School; Kuat Law School; and the University of Chandrila School of Law.  Graduates from those top schools are highly sought after and typically have the widest choice of career opportunities after graduation. It should also be noted that three other elite schools, those on Alderaan, Hosnian Prime, and Brentaal, were sadly destroyed in the course  of the Clone Wars and the subsequent Imperial reign.   I am very proud and fortunate to be an alumnus of the Coruscant College of Law (Go Fighting Senators!) and my three ...

  One of the most commonly known and galactically acknowledged legal principles is that "possession is 9/10 of the law."  It is certainly true that  ownership is easier to claim if a person has possession of something, and difficult to enforce if a person does not.   While there are many exceptions to this principle, in general if someone possesses something, it is fair to assume that they legally own it.   Ownership of the Darksaber, the  black -bladed  lightsaber  created by  Tarre Vizsla--  the first  Mandalorian  ever inducted into the  Jedi Order-- is a fascinating conflict between established law and ancient, deep-rooted cultural beliefs.  One such set of beliefs, the Mandalorian Creed, holds that the possessor of the Darksaber is the rightful leader of the planet Mandalore.  However, possession is not enough to claim the mantle of leadership--the possessor must also have won the Darksaber in combat....

Civil Procedure is the body of law that sets out rules and standards for courts to hear and adjudicate civil (non-criminal) lawsuits.  Are you still awake?  While not the sexiest part of the practice of law by a long shot, it is one of the most important.  A critical part of civil procedure is jurisdiction, which governs which court can decide and rule upon a case.  What that all means is, if you want to bring a lawsuit, you need to know which court to file it with, otherwise your can can--and likely will--get thrown out for "lack of jurisdiction."   There are two main types of jurisdiction--1) Galactic jurisdiction and 2) Regional or local jurisdiction.  The kind of case you are looking to bring will determine the correct court.  Let's look at each one: 1) Galactic Jurisdiction :  Under the Republic, the Galactic court system operates under the auspices of the Judicial Department.  The Judicial Department is responsible for two main fun...

  Few images evoke the military might of the Empire more than that those of a company of All Terrain Armored Transports (AT-ATs or Imperial Walkers), in formation, blazing a path of destruction on a battlefield.  Designed and manufactured by Kuat Drive Yards, they featured near-impenetrable armor and were equipped with extremely powerful offensive weapons systems,  capable of inflicting significant damage to opposing forces while simultaneously demoralizing resistance.  See ,  AT-AT  (courtesy of Wookiepedia). However, as mentioned above, as powerful as AT-ATs were, they not impenetrable.  In fact, they were significantly flawed.  They had numerous areas of vulnerability: 1) its flexible neck, which if punctured, could  lead to a catastrophic reactor breach; 2) unstable  legs which were susceptible to tripping and incapacitation, rendering then defenseless; and 3)  a lack of armor covering on its underbelly, leaving the spot vu...

  Carbonite freezing has a long and storied history.  Its uses have varied from safe and effective transport of materials; to voluntary freezing of sentient beings for extended travel or military operations; to the most well-known usage—capture and delivery of bounties.  See  https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Carbon-freezing .  But, what happens if you are one of those bounties? Legally, if a licensed member of the Bounty Hunter Guild captures you pursuant to a contract, they have broad discretion as to the method of your transport.  As a (former) Guild member famously said, "I can bring you in warm, or I can bring you in cold." While that may be true in some circumstances, it is not always the case.  The Bounty contract is a complex and lengthy legal document, and terms vary from quarry to quarry depending on a variety of circumstances including: client preferences; underlying offense; potential for violence; species; value of target; planetary s...

  For most galactic citizens, a trip to your local Cantina is a great way to commune with a diverse set of species, raise a glass, laugh, and sing along to a classic Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes ditty.  But, as most Cantina owners know, that idyllic notion is often shattered by blaster fire, fist/tentacle fights, shattered tables and glasses , dismemberment, and other general mayhem.  This involves a significant amount of potential liability for Cantina owners.  How do you mitigate your risk? Smart owners will have in place processes and procedures to proactively prepare for these issues.  For instance, there should be a notice, prominently displayed at the front of the establishment, laying out specific codes of conduct and behavior.  This should include include, at a minimum, the following prohibitions:  1) No brandishing, threatening, or using weapons without justification or provocation.  This includes: Blasters, Bowcasters, Wrist Rockets, ...