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Dispatch → Factbook → Legislation
The Constitution of Declansburg
Nations of Declansburg: The founding nations of Yaxopsville and Dux Milan have joined New Bradfordsburg in the authorship of a regional constitution, which shall be commissioned for the purpose of creating a prosperous region. This document will give rights and regulate them to balance the competing demands of law & order, freedom, and security. This document was duly updated by the Assembly of Declansburg on Aug. 19, 2023 (2035 in RP).
CONSTITUTION OF DECLANSBURG
ARTICLE I
In the recognition that all nations are created equal, no regional law shall abridge any nation’s right to self-determination regarding domestic laws and legislation.
ARTICLE II
All provisions in this document shall apply equally to any Member State in Declansburg.
ARTICLE III
The regional government shall have authority to enforce all articles of this document by appropriate legislation.
ARTICLE IV
Any nation in Declansburg within the World Assembly, regional offsite forums, and regional Discord server shall be considered a Member State and is granted Assembly member status.
ARTICLE V
In accordance with this Constitution, the Assembly shall have the authority to legislate foreign and domestic policy by passage of general laws, acts and resolutions by simple majority vote, and to appoint regional officers via elections, which shall be scheduled to occur once every six months, or at a date selected by the Prime Minister.
ARTICLE VI
Section I : The Assembly, acting as a Jury, shall have the authority, upon a majority vote, to accept charges filed by the Judicial Officer, which shall trigger a trial in the Lower Cricut Court. The Judicial Officer shall also ensure that a speedy trial is awarded to charged parties. Charged parties shall be listed as defendants. In all trials, charged parties shall have control over their own defense and may appoint counsel, either foreign or domestic. The Attorney General shall act as a prosecutor on behalf of the Assembly in all cases being tried by the courts.
Section II : The Judicial Officer shall be elected by parliament for a term of one year and, once elected, The Judicial Officer shall be awarded all regional officer authorities.
Section III : The Judicial Officer may charge nations with a Violation of Regional Law, which are then subject to trial.
Section IV : A charged party is given the right to a trial before the Lower Circuit Court, which shall consist of the Deputy Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister shall find the charged party either guilty or innocent. Charges may also be dismissed.
Section V : A convicted party may appeal a conviction by the Lower Circuit Court to the High Circuit Court, which shall be presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister shall find the charged party either guilty or innocent. Charges may also be dismissed.
Section VI : A convicted party may appeal a conviction by the High Circuit Court to the Supreme Court, which shall consist of the entirety of The Parliament. The Judicial Officer shall preside over the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court shall find the charged party either guilty or innocent. Charges may also be dismissed.
Section VII : The Judicial Officer must ensure that all trials allow defendants the chance to enter relevant evidence into the record for consideration. Furthermore, The Judicial Officer shall decree sentencing in the event of any conviction, which shall require either a guilty verdict from the Lower Circuit Court, the High Circuit Court, or by a majority vote of The Parliament in favor of a guilty verdict.
Section VIII : The Governor shall have the authority to issue pardons to nations convicted in regional tribunals.
ARTICLE VII
Section I : The Assembly shall be presided over by an elected Secretary General, elected in three (3) month intervals, whom shall be tasked with maintaining decorum and administering the Declansburg Capital District.
Section II : The region at-large shall be represented in the World Assembly by an elected Prime Minister, elected in one (1) year intervals, with authorities of appearance, border control, communications, embassies, and polls, who shall serve jointly as the region’s non-executive WA Delegate during their tenure.
Section III : The Prime Minister shall serve alongside a Deputy Prime Minister, elected duly with the Prime Minister in one (1) year intervals, who shall hold the same regional authorities as the Prime Minister, and shall be elected in the same election cycles as the Prime Minister.
Section IV : The Deputy Prime Minister shall take over the duties of Prime Minister in the event that the Prime Minister’s nation is incapacitated until the next scheduled election.
Addendum: Separated are the worlds of regional RP and interregional affairs. Positions representing the region at-large to the NationStates community (PM, DPM, MFA) are treated as non-RP positions, where map-based regional RP is not taken into consideration.
Positions relating to the Declansburg Assembly (AG, Sec. Gen., Judicial Officer), ARE, however, strictly in-character regional roleplay positions, where all matters of map roleplay, but none of interregional roleplay, may be taken into consideration.
ARTICLE VIII
The Assembly may call snap elections for any elected position, at any time, with just cause, with a majority vote.
ARTICLE IX
Section I : The Governor shall only use the authorities granted to The Governor to act in the best interests of Declansburg, in conjunction with the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
Section II : The Governor shall not serve as Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister.
Section III : The Governor may create and act as the appointing authority for no more than two regional officer positions, which shall serve at the pleasure of The Governor in a supporting role defined by The Governor’s Office.
Section IV : Regional officer positions created by The Governor may be constituted or dissolved by the Governor at any time.
ARTICLE X
The Assembly shall be disbanded if the region’s population sinks to below 10 nations that are considered regional Member States.
ARTICLE XI
Regional Member States are allowed to have an unlimited number of puppet nations within Declansburg at any given time but puppet nations may not hold Assembly seats.
ARTICLE XII
The enumeration in this Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the Nations.
ARTICLE XIII
No behavior that a reasonable person should consider as wildly inappropriate shall be tolerated in any RMB posts, flags, offsite forums, polls, pinned dispatches, or regional factbook entries.
Addendum: Wildly inappropriate behavior may include, but is not limited to: fascism, committing RP acts of genocide, and excessive brutality. Political rank and/or office shall not be used as an excuse for said behaviors.
ARTICLE XIV
Section I : All nations, territories, or governing bodies conducting affairs within this region in good faith must be treated fairly and evenly, whether they be domestic or foreign.
Section II : Failure by any nation to abide by Article XIV, Section I shall allow for a petition to the Assembly by the aggrieved party seeking a tribunal as a complainant and, if applicable, revoking of powers.
ARTICLE XV
This Constitution may be amended upon a two-thirds vote of the Assembly.
ARTICLE XVI
The Governor, or the Assembly by majority vote, may designate regions as Protectorate Regions of Declansburg, and shall set the laws so forth.
ARTICLE XVII
The Governor, or the Assembly by majority vote, may designate significant historical monuments as World Heritage Regions, and shall set the laws so forth.
ARTICLE XVIII
All Protectorate Regions and World Heritage Regions shall be granted the ability to self-govern and member states of affiliate regions shall not be considered Member States of Declansburg.
ARTICLE XIX
Regional government business shall be conducted onsite, and on the offsite forums, which shall be administered by The Founder and Governor.
ARTICLE XX
Section I : The Governor shall appoint a line succession to assume the duties of The Governor, who shall be afforded executive status should the Governor CTE.
Section II : In the event that an appointed successor cannot assume the duties of The Governor, the line of succession shall be considered broken and the Prime Minister shall assume all duties of The Governor as an executive WA Delegate.
ARTICLE XXI
Section I : The Assembly shall have a process to enact laws and new articles.
Section II : The Prime Minister shall set process to enact laws and new articles.