Courts Department of Linus and Lucy
The Courts Department of the Free Objectivist Republic of Linus and Lucy is responsible for operating and administering the judiciary of Linus and Lucy. The Department is headed by Captain Dallas Clark #44.
Structure
The court of last resort in Linus and Lucy is the Court of Sudden-Death Overtime. The Court of Sudden-Death Overtime has appellate jurisdiction in all cases except for cases between provinces, where it has original jurisdiction. To ensure that there is always at least one level of appeal, cases between provinces can be appealed to a panel consisting of Starting Quarterback Peyton Manning #18, Backup Quarterback Jim Sorgi #12, and all Linus and Lucy department captains.
Underneath the Court of Sudden-Death Overtime are twelve regional Fourth-and-Long Courts. These courts have original jurisdiction in civil cases between citizens of different provinces, or in criminal cases involving crimes committed against or by officials of Linus and Lucy while acting in their official capacity; and appellate jurisdiction in all other cases originating below them. In civil cases where the court has original jurisdiction, the plaintiff is required to bring the suit in the court that has jurisdiction over the place where the offending action occurred, or if the case is in regards to multiple actions in locations under the jurisdictions of many different Fourth-and-Long Courts then in the court that has jurisdiction over his primary place of residence. In civil cases where the court has appellate jurisdiction, the party making the appeal is required to appeal in the court with jurisdiction over his primary place of residence. Criminal cases follow the same rule, except that when bringing a case for a crime committed in multiple locations spanning the jurisdictions of several different Fourth-and-Long Courts, or in the case of appeals, the case is to be brought in the court with jurisdiction over the defendant's primary place of residence.
Below the Fourth-and-Long Courts are the First Down Courts. Each province has one of these for each million residents or portion thereof. These courts have solely appellate jurisdiction for crimes originating in lower courts. First Down Courts have no specific geographical jurisdiction other than the provincial boundaries; cases are assigned to them by the Courts Department on a rotating basis.
The lowest courts are the Opening Kickoff Courts. These courts have original jurisdiction in all criminal and civil cases except those for which higher courts have explicit original jurisdiction. The number, composition, sites, and geographical jurisdiction (or lack thereof) of these courts are determined by the provincial governors for their respective provinces.
