Imperial High Law

[tzunder]

In the recent Mongoose books Agent and Scoundrel are mentions of Imperial High Law.
I can't find an overview of just what this is.
I have searched on traveller.wikia.com and googled it but no joy.

Could anyone point me to where it has been described? I mean.. not in intricate detail, but enough to know what it covers and says..

 

[HG_B]

The MGT Spinward Marches supplement has a treatment of this stating on page 17. It is Imperial High Law rather than "Laws".

Although there are some "Laws" it is more how the relationships and responsibilities are set between the Imperial gov't and the member worlds.

 

[RainOfSteel]

In the recent Mongoose books Agent and Scoundrel are mentions of Imperial High Law.

I've never heard of that. I can't imagine why they'd call it "High" law. The simple phrase Imperial Law works. It's not as if it applies to much more than noble responsibilities and behavior, space and travel and commerce within it, interactions with other nations, the autonomy of member worlds, no slavery, no use, manufacture, or possession of weapons of mass destruction, the supremacy of the Imperium and it's military in interstellar warfare, possibly extradition, and maybe a handful of other things.

 

[Vargas]

Back in the print version of JTAS, I'll go out on a limb and say Issue 14, there was an article dealing with "high justice", that is, Imperial law. It's possible the terms got mixed up over the years.

 

[HiverLord]

I can't imagine why they'd call it "High" law. The simple phrase Imperial Law works.

IMTU:
"Imperial High Law" refers to customs, expectations, and the like. These may have actual guidelines written, or not, depending on the 'custom' or law in question, and would probably depend highly on 'proper upbringing' (training, or some such...) of the Nobility in charge in that region...

"Imperial Law" refers to actual written laws, reliance upon previous rulings and decisions, Imperial Edicts, and so forth...

Of course, all are greatly subject to local interpretations, current Imperial needs (and outlook), and the like.

 

[aramis]

I've never heard of that. I can't imagine why they'd call it "High" law. The simple phrase Imperial Law works. It's not as if it applies to much more than noble responsibilities and behavior, space and travel and commerce within it, interactions with other nations, the autonomy of member worlds, no slavery, no use, manufacture, or possession of weapons of mass destruction, the supremacy of the Imperium and it's military in interstellar warfare, possibly extradition, and maybe a handful of other things.

High Law means the Emperor's Law. Imperial Law would include Domain and Sector level laws as well. Those being fewer in number, but no less enforceable.

Imperial law would also include Imperial Navy Regulation, IISS Regulation, and IMC regulation, plus ministerial regulations, when those regulations are granted force of law by extant decrees.

 

[HiverLord]

High Law means the Emperor's Law. Imperial Law would include Domain and Sector level laws as well. Those being fewer in number, but no less enforceable.

Imperial law would also include Imperial Navy Regulation, IISS Regulation, and IMC regulation, plus ministerial regulations, when those regulations are granted force of law by extant decrees.

This makes more sense. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[HG_B]

High Law means the Emperor's Law.

Actually, it would be any Imperium wide law.

 

[tzunder]

So, in essence, they haven't really been written down anywhere. The MGT Spinward Marches section referred to doesn't explicitly codify it, but it's enough for guidind principles.

Save for: no slavery, no weapons of mass destruction, primacy of Imperial jurisdiction in starports, and I guess no secession.

How about AIs and psions? Is that an Imperial matter or is it a cultural dislike that may or may not percolate down to local planetary law.

Seems odd given the sheer masses of stuff written about everything else in the OTU, and the fact that law level is a key part of the core game system and in Agent there is a quite detailed ruleset for being an Imperial agent hunting down those who break Imperial law.

Ah well, at least I know now that it's a GM fiat area.

 

[HG_B]

Seems odd given the sheer masses of stuff written about everything else in the OTU, and the fact that law level is a key part of the core game system

High law isn't connected to planetary law level as such.

 

[aramis]

So, in essence, they haven't really been written down anywhere. The MGT Spinward Marches section referred to doesn't explicitly codify it, but it's enough for guidind principles.

Save for: no slavery, no weapons of mass destruction, primacy of Imperial jurisdiction in starports, and I guess no secession.

How about AIs and psions? Is that an Imperial matter or is it a cultural dislike that may or may not percolate down to local planetary law.

Seems odd given the sheer masses of stuff written about everything else in the OTU, and the fact that law level is a key part of the core game system and in Agent there is a quite detailed ruleset for being an Imperial agent hunting down those who break Imperial law.

Ah well, at least I know now that it's a GM fiat area.

AI: localized dislike according to MegaTraveller Ref's Companion, Hard Times, and Survival Margin. True AI is beyond imperial tech, so is a non-issue... but a true AI should be a citizen.

Psionics: imperially regulated, but very quietly... two legit Psi Institutes (Regina and Terra), and all others illicit. Unlicensed psi allowed to be treated as a local capital crime. (various references in CT, MT, and T4; Psionics was imperially regulated prior to the suppressions. Two institutes not revoked during suppressions.)

Slavery: note that it's only chattel slavery that's outlawed... indenture and serfdom both tolerated by 3I. (several places in CT, MT, and T4)

Murder: provided one uses a definition of it as "The unjustified termination of a sophont's life"... and local governments justification can be pretty weak.

There is a right to jury trial.

 

[jatay3]

Murder: provided one uses a definition of it as "The unjustified termination of a sophont's life"... and local governments justification can be pretty weak.

When Scott says they abhorred and avoided the crime of unnecessary homicide, one can only comment that they seem to have found homicide necessary with appalling frequency.-The Steel Bonnets by George Macdonald Fraser

 

[Hemdian]

a true AI should be a citizen.

Only if the AI is a lifeform. MT Referee's Sourcebook p36 (and elsewhere but I haven't found it yet)

Any sentient life form within the Imperial borders, regardless of its origin, is a protected being, and thus a citizen of the Third Imperium. One might argue that an intelligent robot might be sentient, but it is definitely not a life form.

(Okay, so not all AIs are robots, but the rule still applies.)

 

[far-trader]

Which comes down to the ages old problem of how does one define "life"...

...before we can even begin to tackle the harder problem of defining (never mind detecting) "sentience".

 

[Peter Schutze]

>Psionics: imperially regulated, but very quietly... two legit Psi Institutes (Regina and Terra), and all others illicit. Unlicensed psi allowed to be treated as a local capital crime. (various references in CT, MT, and T4; Psionics was imperially regulated prior to the suppressions. Two institutes not revoked during suppressions.)

wasnt the imperial edict to outlaw psionics, which triggered the suppressions ?

 

[shield]

Yes, there were a series of suppression orders. The first batch suspended the offical psionic institutes, the second batch mage that suspension permenant. What is not know is that two of the those latter suspension orders were countermanded from elsewhere in the imperial govt.

So it looks like all imperial psionic institutes are officially closed.

Cheers
Richard

 

[shield]

As the 3I started as a empire to protect trade, piracy is probably a high crime as well. You can add treason, breaking an interdiction, sabotage and a few others to high crimes as well.

Cheers
Richard

 

[aramis]

>Psionics: imperially regulated, but very quietly... two legit Psi Institutes (Regina and Terra), and all others illicit. Unlicensed psi allowed to be treated as a local capital crime. (various references in CT, MT, and T4; Psionics was imperially regulated prior to the suppressions. Two institutes not revoked during suppressions.)

wasnt the imperial edict to outlaw psionics, which triggered the suppressions ?

Not exactly... it was to shut down the institutes (save Regina and Terra). Well, technically, the edict shut them all down, and the next edict quietly restored those two. The public suppressions were a comingling of the suppression of the Psi Institutes and an anti-Zhodani propaganda campaign.