Badge's Code

[nuke11]

Originally Posted by RandyT0001

In the Badges write up on p.215 4th edition, it lists as one of the skills as Law (Badges Code). What do you think would be included in the most basic rules of this code? There may be regional differences within the world of MP.

Here are some basics rules I thought of:

Badges' Code

1. The badge holder, aka the Badge, must have at least one accompanying juror who will serve as the jury foreman since so few citizens know the law.
   
2. Suspects, criminals and/ or the accused cannot be executed without a guilty verdict by a jury in a trial.
   
3. If the community does not have a sitting judge then the Badge can perform the duties of a judge at trial.
   
4. The jury consists of (at least) six people. The judge (or the Badge, if no sitting judge is present) interviews and selects the jury for the trial.

I think that the encounter size for Badges should be changed to 1+d6 so that the Badge can have his foreman on the jury so the foreman can assist, influence and/or intimidate the jury toward a verdict.

The closest example of "Badges" in popular culture that I can think of is Marshall Stockburn and his deputies in the movie "Pale Rider". Anybody else have a suggestion to use as an example?

Doesn't the "authority" of the "Badges" come from the community accepting them in the first place? If they do not believe they are the law, then they have no power or authority in that community?

An unknown person wanders in to a community and claims to be the law of the land. Would the community have something to say about that?