I believe the strength of a nation comes from its laws. As a result, I believe a useful area of development would be with the legal profession, the court system, and the judiciary.
As it stands, we have the following from the Instrument:
I propose the following scheme, for the consideration of my fellow members.PART V. JUDICIAL POWER
1. Judicial Power. The judicial power of the Commonwealth shall be vested in one High Court, and in such inferior courts as Parliament may from time to time ordain and establish.
2. The High Court. The High Court of the Brettish Isles shall be the highest court of law in the Commonwealth for civil, criminal, and constitutional matters arising under the laws of the Commonwealth. The High Court shall also be the court of first instance for all cases in which the Lord Protector, ministers of the Government, the Speaker of Parliament, or the Ambassadors of the Brettish Isles are a party. Subject to the law, the High Court shall determine its own rules of procedure.
3. The Composition of the High Court. The High Court shall be composed of the Lord Chancellor, and no more than four Masters in Chancery, who shall sit and vote together with the Lord Chancellor in all cases before the High Court. The Lord Chancellor and the Masters in Chancery shall be appointed by the Lord Protector, subject to the confirmation of Parliament, and shall serve during good behaviour.
4. Legal Profession. The Lord Chancellor shall be recognized as the head of the legal profession in the Commonwealth. He shall advise the Lord Protector on the grant of charters of incorporation to legal organizations. Subject to the law, no person shall serve as legal counsel in The Brettish Isles unless the Lord Chancellor has recognized him as a qualified barrister. The Lord Protector may, on the Lord Chancellor’s advice, honour extraordinary barristers with the title and distinction of a Sergeant-at-Law.
- The High Court remains as the highest court of law in all matters. It would be composed of the Lord Chancellor as head, and four Justices (as opposed to Masters in Chancery).
- Below the High Court would be the Circuit Court, which would be a court of first instance. Here, civil and criminal trials would be heard, with one of the justices of the High Court serving as the presiding judge, and ruling on the matter. Rulings by the Circuit Court can then be appealed to the High Court.
- The office of Attorney-General would be created to supervise the execution of laws, advise the government on legal matters, and administer the court system (as well as the police)
- The Attorney-General personally represents the state before the High Court, and appoints Commonwealth Attorneys to represent the state in Circuit Courts (for criminal proceedings, and civil proceedings in which the state is a party)
- The Lord Chancellor remains the head judge, and administers the bar