Jurisdictions
Learn about jurisdictions and their powers, including governance, resource management, and maintaining legal order and individual rights.
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Authority by Consent
Jurisdictions are empowered by the consent of their populations, tasked with executing the will of their constituents while protecting individual rights and upholding constitutional order. Their authority is derived solely from the individuals within their boundaries.
Execution of Constituent Will and Preservation of Rights
“Jurisdictions faithfully carryout the will of their constituents while also preserving the rights of all Individuals, respecting the boundaries of all Jurisdictions, and upholding Constitutional Order everywhere. Powers granted to Jurisdictions are granted to them by their population.”
Basic Duties
Jurisdictions are self-governing entities that manage the common good within their territories, maintain peace and prosperity, apply laws uniformly, and resolve disputes. They also control resources, maintain defensive forces, and respect the boundaries of other jurisdictions.
Co-Equal Self-Governance
“Jurisdictions are co-equal self-governing containers of Individuals and other Jurisdictions.”
Management of the Common Good
“Jurisdictions manage the Common Good in their boundaries.”
Promotion of Peace and Prosperity
“Jurisdictions maintain relationships with other Jurisdictions to promote peace and prosperity for their respective constituents.”
Uniform Application of Law
“Jurisdictions apply the law consistently and uniformly across all Constituent Jurisdictions.”
Control and Sharing of Resources
“Jurisdictions control natural resources and other assets within their boundaries while jointly sharing resources that flow through or exist indivisibly between multiple Jurisdictions.”
Resolution of Disagreements
“Jurisdictions resolve disagreements between each other or their constituents using Legislative and Judicial processes.”
Ensuring Compatibility and Interoperability
“Jurisdictions ensure full compatibility and interoperability between each other and their constituents.”
Full Faith and Credit
“Jurisdictions give Full Faith and Credit to every associated Jurisdiction’s public Acts, Records, and Judicial proceedings.”
Maintenance of Defensive Forces
“Jurisdictions maintain defensive forces that preserve their boundaries, keep the peace, and uphold constitutional order.”
Respect for Jurisdictional Boundaries
“Jurisdictions respect the boundaries of all other Jurisdictions and do not unilaterally change their boundaries. Two or more Jurisdictions may agree to new shared boundaries. If a Supermajority of the Population in the affected area agree then the new boundaries are adopted.”
Bicameral Legislature
Jurisdictions with constituent jurisdictions have a bicameral legislature, with representatives apportioned by population and equally among jurisdictions. Legislative actions require independent agreement from both groups of representatives.
Representation in Bicameral Legislatures
“Individuals are represented in a bicameral Legislature when a Jurisdiction contains Constituent Jurisdictions.”
Apportionment of Representative Seats
“A number of Representative Seats are apportioned out to the Constituent Jurisdictions by their relative populations and a number are apportioned out to the Jurisdictions equally.”
Election of Representatives
“The Representatives in Seats being apportioned out equally are elected by the whole population in the same way and at the same as the Representatives in Seats apportioned out by relative population.”
Committee Composition
“Members of both kinds sit on the same Committees. The proportion of each kind of seat on a committee is the same as the relative proportion of each kind of seat in the whole Legislature.”
Independent Agreement for Legislative Actions
“Members of both kinds must agree independently for any act, appointment, proclamation, or other decision to pass Committee or enter general law. In all other ways, members work, debate, and vote together as one Legislature.”
Minimum and Maximum Number of Representative Seats
“Unless otherwise amended, The Minimum number of Representative Seats in a Jurisdiction, or in any necessary subdivision is five (5) with the maximum being nine (9).”
Joint Powers
Jurisdictions collectively establish uniform procedures, collect taxes, borrow funds, mobilize defense forces, and manage infrastructure. They can also enact laws, provide punishments, and promote progress in science and the arts.
Establishment of Uniform Structures and Procedures
“All Jurisdictions jointly and co-equally have the power to establish uniform structures and standard operating procedures for the administration of Executive Departments and Corporations of Common Good. Constituent Jurisdictions maintain control over the appointment of their local boards and other local personnel.”
Imposition and Collection of Taxes and Fees
“Jurisdictions impose and collect taxes, fees, and charges to settle debts and ensure the overall safety and well-being of their Jurisdictions Population.”
Borrowing Funds
“Jurisdictions borrow funds based on their credit.”
Mobilization of Defense Forces
“Jurisdictions mobilize defense forces to uphold Constitutional Order, quell uprisings, and ward off attacks.”
Acquisition of Land and Capital for Infrastructure
“Jurisdictions purchase the necessary lands and capital at a fair market value for the creation of any infrastructure that is necessary for the orderly operation of the Jurisdiction.”
Establishment of Official Language(s) and Protection of All
“Jurisdictions establish at least one official language for the purpose of standardizing official communication but cannot disallow the enactment of any other official language by any constituent Jurisdiction, nor deny the right of any Individual to speak or write in any language.”
Enactment of Laws
“Jurisdictions enact laws to carry out their constitutional duties.”
Provision of Punishments for Crimes
“Jurisdictions provide punishments for crimes against Individuals and their property.”
Promotion of Progress in Science and the Arts
“Jurisdictions promote progress in science and the arts by offering creators and innovators exclusive rights to their works for designated durations.”
Resolution of Legal Questions
“Jurisdictions resolve any questions of law that arise from the reading and interpretation of their Constitutions.”
Reserved Powers
The highest jurisdiction reserves powers such as currency regulation, oversight of international trade, management of military resources, and declaration of war. It also sets uniform standards like the age of consent and holds supremacy over conflicting constituent laws.
Currency Production and Regulation
“The most encompassing Jurisdiction of A Fair Constitution reserves the power to produce and regulate currency, determine its worth, and define standards for measurements necessary for regulating industry and commerce.”
Oversight of Extra-Jurisdictional Trade and Relationships
“Encompassing Jurisdictions can oversee extra-jurisdictional trade and relationships.”
Management of Mass-Destruction Weaponry
“Encompassing Jurisdictions can authorize and oversee the possession and management of mass-destruction weaponry.”
Coordination of Military Units
“Encompassing Jurisdictions can create standardized protocols for the coordination of military units.”
Allocation of Military Resources
“Encompassing Jurisdictions can institute and allocate resources for military forces for a period not to exceed a regular Legislative term.”
Declaration of War
“Encompassing Jurisdictions can, by Super Majority vote of their Legislature, declare war.”
Setting Age of Consent and Majority
“Encompassing Jurisdictions can set a fixed and uniform universal age of consent and majority for all purposes except for voting or standing for office which cannot be denied to any age.”
“Unless otherwise amended, The Age of Consent and Majority is eighteen (18) years.”
Supremacy of Encompassing Constitutions
“The Constitution of Encompassing Jurisdictions take priority over the Constitutions of Constituent Jurisdictions when there is a conflict.”
Cultural Institutions of State
Jurisdictions may recognize cultural institutions that represent their essence, but these institutions have no legislative, executive, or judicial powers. Recognition requires a supermajority vote.
Recognition of Cultural Institutions of State
“Jurisdictions may, by Supermajority vote, recognize Cultural Institutions of State to represent the Essence of a Jurisdiction.”
Consent Requirement for Recognition
“If a Jurisdiction is composed of Constituent Jurisdictions, then a Supermajority of Constituent Jurisdictions need to agree for a Cultural Institution of State to be recognized in the Jurisdiction.”
Limitation of Powers of Cultural Institutions
“Cultural Institutions of State possess no Legislative, Executive, or Judicial Powers.”
Union
Independent jurisdictions can form or join a union by aligning their institutions with A Fair Constitution. Changes in union membership require supermajority consent from both the applicant jurisdiction's population and the union's constituent jurisdictions.
Formation of a Union
“Two (2) or more Independent Jurisdictions can form a Union under A Fair Constitution by aligning their Internal Institutions to be compatible with A Fair Constitution and each other. The Governments that result from the institutional changes codify Amendable Variables and add any other Articles that are necessary to ratify The Unions Constitution.”
Joining an Existing Union
“Independent Jurisdictions can join an existing Union under A Fair Constitution when they align their Internal Institutions to be compatible with The Constitution of the Union they are applying to join. Unions admit Applicant Jurisdictions in accordance with Unions Entrance and Exist Clauses.”
Consent Requirement for Union Membership Changes
“Unless otherwise amended, A Supermajority of Individuals in an Applicant Jurisdiction, and a Supermajority of Constituent Jurisdictions in the Union, must agree before an Applicant Jurisdiction can be added to or leave a Union.”
Disintermediation
If all constituent jurisdictions of an intermediary jurisdiction agree, along with their encompassing jurisdiction, the intermediary jurisdiction can be dissolved, with its powers and responsibilities absorbed by the former constituent jurisdictions.
Dissolution of Intermediary Jurisdictions
“If all Constituent Jurisdictions of an Intermediary Jurisdiction agree, and the Intermediary Jurisdictions Encompassing Jurisdiction agrees, then the Intermediary Jurisdiction dissolves with its Acts being incorporated into its former Constituent Jurisdictions.”