Chiss Constitution

The Chiss Constitution is the primary legal document of the Chiss Ascendancy. It covers the core Chiss Institutions and their roles in Chiss Society.

Background

The Chiss Constitution has its roots in the Chiss Charter, which led to the first modern Chiss Senate.The Charter was criticized for allowing House Sabosen to rule over Chiss Society as constitutional monarchs.

Two factions were instrumental in shaping the final draft. The first being the traditionalists who wanted to preserve elements of the Chiss Charter which protected the traditional chiss institutions, and the moderates, who wanted a bill of rights and protection from unlimited power by a single Chiss House.

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From this day forward we, the Council of Families, acknowledge the Terms of Governance set forth by the people of Csilla and declare the founding of a new Chiss Ascendancy. The Ascendancy henceforth will commit itself to upholding the historical, cultural, and social Chiss values of the past whilst operating under the acknowledgement that we must do so in a current social and economical sphere.

We hereby ratify this document for the growth and stability of Csilla, the Csilla system, and subsequent colonies in the name of the Ascendancy and the Chiss people.

Signed,

Council of Families

Section One: Government

Article One: Council of Families

1.1 The Council of Families shall be the sole executive body of the Chiss Ascendancy.

1.1a The Council of Families shall consist of the Aristocra of the Major Houses as defined under Article Three.

1.1b The Council of Families will embody the roles of Head of State and Head of Government.

1.2 Any Law, Act, or Motion passed by the Chiss Parliament will be enacted when three quarters (3/4) of the Council are in agreement.

1.3 Exiled Houses, as defined under Article Three, shall not be granted a seat on the Council of Families.

Article Two: Chiss Parliament

2.1 The Chiss Parliament is the sole legislature of the Chiss Ascendancy.

2.1a The Chiss Parliament shall comprise of two representatives of all Chiss Houses, Major and Minor, as defined under Article Three.

2.1b These representatives shall be the House Aristocra and a House Senator. They cannot be the same person.

2.1c The House Aristocra is chosen from among the Houses Blood-born as defined in Article Three.

2.1d The House Senator is elected from among a Houses membership for a term of ninety (90) days.

2.1e The House Senator cannot be removed prior to their full term bar the following circumstances:

• Resignation from Parliament, House Membership, or the Chiss Ascendancy.
• A substantial period of inactivity or leave of absence.
• Found guilty of violating Chiss Law.

2.1f Should a House Senator be removed due to circumstances as defined in 2.1e, his or her House must re-elect an interim-Senator for the remainder of the term.

2.2 The Chiss Parliament elects a Crahsyndic who serves as a Presiding Officer for a term of one-hundred and fifty (150) days.

2.2a The Crahsyndic cannot be an Aristocra of a Major House or the Commanding Officer of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force.

2.2b The Crahsyndic must be a Chiss.

2.2c The Crahsyndic cannot be removed prior to their full term bar the following circumstances:

• Resignation from Parliament, House Membership, or the Chiss Ascendancy.
• A substantial period of inactivity or leave of absence.
• Found guilty of violating Chiss Law.

2.3 Each House shall have two votes on any proposed legislative action.

2.4 A legislative action becomes law when passed a majority vote of the Chiss Parliament.

Article Three: Houses

3.1 The Chiss Ascendancy will retain the tradition of Families; known henceforth as Houses.

3.2 The Chiss Ascendancy will determine the influence of each House by their Virtue of Service.

3.2a These influences fall into Major or Minor.

3.2b Virtue of Service is defined as a measurement of contribution to the Ascendancy. If enough capital is accumulated to form a faction to work completely and utterly for the benefit of the Ascendancy with no ties to any form of illegal activity, then they have fulfilled their Virtue of Service and to be considered a Major House.

3.3 Each House will be given a field(s) of expertise to govern and maintain for the Ascendancy.

3.4 Any Chiss of the Ascendancy can establish their own House and subsequent bloodline through their own Merit of Power.

3.4a Merit of Power is defined as the legitimate accumulation of influence by a House. This should be any measure which benefits one House without penalizing another. The practice of "poaching" is prohibited, but citizens may leave one House to join another under a legal transfer process.

3.5 All Houses will adopt the traditional Chiss ranking structure, defined as follows:

• Aristocra - House Patron
• Syndic - House Commander of the House Phalanx, Quartermaster, and Regent.
• Blood Born - Relations and Heirs to the Aristocra
• Trial Born - Proven Members of Non-relation.
• Merit Adoptive - New and Unproven Members of Non-relation.

3.5a House Ranking shall not be mutually exclusive with a citizens rank within the Government, nationalized Faction, or NFG; Thus, a citizens chosen House does not determine their branch of expertise or choice of employment.

Section Two: Judicature

Article Four: Judicial Circuit

4.1 The Judicial Circuit shall be the supreme Judicial Authority of the Chiss Ascendancy

4.2 The Judicial Circuit consists of three(3) Judiciars appointed and confirmed by a vote of 2/3 majority of the Parliament.

4.3 Judiciars must be Chiss and cannot be Dual Citizens

4.4 A Justiciar may be removed by a Parliamentary Vote of No Confidence.

4.5 The Judicial Circuit may nullify case outcomes of House Courts, CEDF Court Martial, Other lower courts, and even its own rulings after a review of the case.

Article Five: Legal Process

5.1 The Judicial Circuit shall appoint a Justiciar to serve as Judge for the trial. The Judicial Circuit shall also appoint an Advocate to represent the Prosecution. The Accused and Prosecution can name whomever they wish as their advocate, as long as that individual is in good standing with the Chiss Ascendancy. In the case that the accused is unable to obtain an advocate, the Judicial Circuit shall appoint one.

5.2 The Justiciar will propose whether the trial be held via holonet or in an available courtroom. Once both Advocates agree on a format and start date, the trial begins.

5.3 The Justiciar informs the accused of the charge(s) against them. If the accused pleads “guilty”, then the Justiciar will inform the accused of their punishment. If they plead “Not Guilty”, the trial will go to the next stage.

5.4 When a Justiciar receives a case, they will determine if a trial is required. If so, then both advocates will present their evidence.

5.5 Once the trial proceeds, both Advocates take turns Presenting their evidence. After opening statements, they may call witnesses. If they call witnesses, they will take turns questioning them. After the Advocate who called the witness speaks to them, then the other Advocate may question the witness.The trial is closed by each advocate making a closing argument. The Justiciar reviews the trial and all evidence and renders a verdict on each specific charge.

5.6 All trials will be recorded. Any trials whose contents are deemed classified will be declassified after three months, unless overridden by the Judicial Circuit. The declassification process can only be extended to one year after end of the trial at maximum.

5.7 If the Prosecution in the case is the Chiss Ascendancy government, then their Advocate is known as the State Advocate.

5.8 The Death Penalty is prohibited as a form of punishment for any crimes.

5.9 The Highest Punishments are to be Life Imprisonment or Exile.

5.9a The Transport of Prisoners is to be handled by the CEDF.

5.9b A Citizen who is Exiled is transported to Non-Chiss Territory, removed from all Chiss communication channels and forbidden to return.

5.9c No Citizen may trade or communicate with an Exiled Person without permission from the Council of Families.

5.9d An entire House may only be exiled by a 2/3 majority vote of Parliament. An Exiled House loses its votes in parliament and all of its members lose citizenship.

5.9e Members of an Exiled House other than the Aristocra may appeal their exile before the Judicial Circuit. Their citizenship is restored if they are found not guilty and they join a Non-Exiled Chiss House.

Section Three: Amendments and Legislation

Article Six: Law Creation

6.1 Any Senator may propose a new Act, Law, or Motion.

6.2 Any Senator may a support new Act, Law, or Motion by declaring 'Second'.

6.2a An Aristocra may also declare 'Second', so long as they are of a different House than the originating Senator.

6.3 When a proposed Act, Law, or Motion is 'Seconded', it shall be put before Parliament for a vote.

6.3a Any proposed Act, Law, or Motion shall be declared an 'Act of Parliament' should it pass as per Article Two.

6.4 A new Law, Act, or Motion may suspend or abolish an existing Law, Act, or Motion.

Article Seven: Amendments

7.1 Amendments shall only be proposed by an Aristocra.

7.2 An Aristocra may declare support for an Amendment by declaring 'Second'.

7.3 All members of Parliament may vote on a proposed Amendment as per Article Six and Article Two.

Section Four: Rights and Citizenship

'Article Eight: Terms of Citizenship'

8.1 All Chiss shall be treated with equal rights within the Chiss Ascendancy regardless of their affiliations and/or employment.

8.1a A 'Dual Citizenship' program will be available to Chiss working under a foreign Government and/or a foreign nationalized faction.

8.1b The faction in question must be in favourable diplomatic standing with the Ascendancy.

8.2 The Chiss Ascendancy will not distinguish Chiss from Non-Chiss Citizens in terms of their basic rights.

Article Nine: Rights of Citizenship

9.1 The Chiss Ascendancy will abide by the 'Isnin`tsezetahah' -

1. All Citizens have the right of establishment and the practice thereof.

2. All Citizens have the freedoms of speech and assembly.

3. Citizens are entitled to protection from all who would aggress on their rights, personal freedoms, property, or life.

4. No House or other body may create or enact any law which abridges the privileges or immunities of a Citizen of the Chiss Ascendancy, nor may they deny a Citizen the natural rights of life, freedom, or property without due process of law.

5. All Citizens have the right to be tried on equal standing in an expedient fashion. They shall be protected from cruel and unusual punishment and, except in matters of Courts-martial, protected from double jeopardy.

6. All Citizens have the right to legal representation, and to participate in the law-making process as allowed.

7. All Citizens have the right to petition for and receive both material and immaterial aid from the Chiss Ascendancy.

8. The rights listed in this document do not serve to deny or modify other rights that are held by Citizens, they are mentioned either as limitation of power or as a measure of caution, and are not comprehensive.

Section Five: Additional Powers

Article Ten:

10.1 Anything not expressly covered by the Constitution is thus not governed under its laws and may be governed by Acts of Parliament.

10.2 All powers not delegated by the Constitution, and that which is necessary to the preservation of the Chiss Ascendancy, shall be delegated by the Council of Families as they see fit.