✍️ I originally wrote this for publication on 15 September 1469, but the International area had some issues that needed a bit of clay and stone to fix it back up. We are now back in business!

Have you been to London recently? There is a debate that a one-pound fine addressed at the Court of Appeals has turned England upside down with controversy. Out of all this in the attack against the monarch, we as a whole in England have discovered some shadowy things happening in some institutions across the land.

The Court of Appeals is where a person may go if they feel their trial was unfair. In fact, the mandate of that Court of Appeals is to ensure that justice served in the County Courts is correct. Yet, what happens when many issues in one case show that the Court of Appeals is not operating as it should be? The House of Parliament and House of Lords look into the discrepancy of things that happened in that case and the operations of the highest court of England.

The Court of Appeals in England is the only one of its kind in our realm. Ireland opened one, however it was closed. Sources say that it was closed recently by a vote in Dublin Castle, Magnum Concilium. Scotland used to have one but according to Gabria a longtime citizen of Girvan, Scotland, it no longer does. She said:

No we no longer have a court of appeals, our CoA was short-lived. It was tied to the parliament, and without a government to select a Chief Justice, it was closed down.

The case, Julianna Taldus v. County of Sussex accepted on 16 July 1469. The case, the first for the Chief Justice Ysabelle Stewart was to become the case that brought to light issues in The Court of Appeals. Some remark that the Court of Appeals has allowed itself to be used as a political tool and lacks neutrality it should have when serving justice to the English Courts and its people.

In response to this case, many members of Parliament and the house of lords are debating the situation. In response, two counties are or have discussed the roles in which their Justice representatives have taken. The County of Sussex has already removed Justice Bekah from her position with a weeks time of deliberation and vote to satisfy the requirements to remove the representative. Since the writing of this, she has appealed the vote with the House of Parliament which did not support her appeal.

The widow of Richard Dorcester as well as Countess of Westmorland, Zulita received a complaint on 3 September about a justice from their county Since then, Westmorland is still in discussion about the complaint brought to them. The House of Parliament is awaiting Westmorlads discussion but has since started a debate on the alleged bullying by Justice Kei Rondoval.

They have also invited the newly appointed Chief Justice Bastian Dorcester to weigh in on the situation in the Court of Appeals. Bastian, a fairly new name in England, is the son of the late King, Richard Dorcester. His first public appearance was about a year ago, shortly before his father, then king, passed away. His first record of a council position and thereafter shows no service in the legal department in the county of Mercia. Despite no experience in public with either justice or embassy work, they promoted him into both positions of Chief Justice and Royal Embassy Chancellor.

Recently, the prior Chief Justice, Ysabelle Stewart, has been giving her side of the story of what happened and what possibly went wrong with the Court of Appeals. I reached out to her, and she agreed to answer a few questions.

✍️ KAP When you applied to be a justice for the COA, did you have any experience as a lawyer in England?

No. I have always been intrigued by the law, and I have studied cases, read through a ton of transcripts, and paid attention. Most of the law is common sense, the rest I learned on the job. It has been a very large learning curve, but I have a very good support system I can always run to with questions.

✍️ KAP As the evidence is being gathered about the COA, have you seen any discrepancy in what is being presented to what had happened in the COA when you were there?

The only discrepancy I found was the discussions prior to the hearing. There were days of going back and forth concerning the objection over my appointment as Lead Justice, and none of those transcripts were published. I cannot know Bastien’s mind, but I would imagine he thought these had nothing to do with the hearing or the decision. However, much of this has been made public, and as anyone who takes the time to scroll through it can see, it very much had to do with the verdict.

✍️ KAP Why did you resign from the COA?

There were many reasons I decided to resign, and it was not a decision I made lightly. I had heard about the reputation of the CoA for bias and corruption before I joined, and I was disturbed. I wanted to help change this by introducing new procedures, revamping the Charter and IRC, and in general, bringing it up-to-date with our current times. I was hampered, however, by bullying, intimidation tactics, and personal attacks. All of these things I could handle, but the last straw was the verdict for the Queen’s hearing. It was so blatantly biased that I was shocked and disgusted. At that point, I decided I could not do anything for the CoA from the inside, but maybe I could put my time to better use elsewhere. I waited for the verdict to be announced then I handed in my resignation. It turned out to be very gratuitous timing, as that day Bastien was taking over as Chief Justice, so my absence left no void in that respect.

✍️ KAP Do you feel COA needs more oversight than what is happening now? By this I mean it is not actually accountable by anyone. Both hold the justices accountable for the county and HOP.

I feel the CoA definitely needs more oversight and monitoring. At present, there is none. Yes, there is a process in place for complaints either to the County Council of the Justice, or the HoP, but it is only when something seriously wrong happens that this system is used. The quarterly evaluations are, in my opinion, a busy-work project that has no real impact. These are peer reviews, and reflect the prevailing climate more than any real insight. As a reform, I would suggest that the Justices can only serve two 3-month terms per 12 month period. Also, an impartial party should do reviews of the Justices, their decisions, and their behavior, perhaps every six months. There should also be a more streamlined process for removing Justices, with who has the power to do so clearly stated. I also feel that the HoL should not have any sway or influence over the CoA. The HoL is a crown appointed institution. The CoA is appointed by the people by way of Councils and the HoP. The two are very different entities, and should be kept separate. But these are just my ramblings.

✍️ KAPWhat do you think would be the best outcome from all this investigation into the COA?

I would hope that some sweeping reforms are made, such as the ones I’ve suggested. I would also hope that there is a better process implemented for choosing Justices, Chief Justices, and Deputy Chief Justices, to keep one faction from gaining control of the CoA for long periods of time. Perhaps all of the Justices on the current Roster should be recalled, and a fresh roster begun with more precise, clear guidelines as to what is expected of them. In any case, I feel that whatever the outcome, the CoA will be changed from what it is today, for better or worse remains to be seen.

✍️ KAPThe newly appointed Chief Justice has had no experience in law, not in council yet has sped up his status from being a yokel to the Chancellor of the Royal Embassy and the Chief Justice. Would you say this is because of the nepotism we see across England more now than ever?

I cannot say as to his experience as Chancellor, however, I would say yes, that is why he has shot to Chief Justice within such a short space of time. There was no time for him to gain any experience or knowledge, he was judged based on his father’s reputation. Of course, I also was appointed as Chief Justice after only a relatively short period, but that was due to my predecessor’s resignation, not my lineage or family.

✍️ KAP The newly appointed Chief Justice has had no experience in law, not in council records of Mercia, yet has sped up his status from being a yokel to the Chancellor of the Royal Embassy and the Chief Justice. Would you say this is because of the nepotism we see across England more now than ever?

I cannot say as to his experience as Chancellor, however, I would say yes, that is why he has shot to Chief Justice within such a short space of time. There was no time for him to gain any experience or knowledge, he was judged based on his father’s reputation. Of course, I also was appointed as Chief Justice after only a relatively short period, but that was due to my predecessor’s resignation, not my lineage or family.

This is still ongoing in the House of Parliament and House of Lords with discussions on how to fix the laws and system to make things better. Head on over to Westminster to listen to the debates.

Kallist0
England KAP
Editor in Chief
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