Council of Three
From Mizahar Lore
Though most outsiders believe the Syliran Knights themselves to be the only representatives of justice in Syliras, the Knights are actually more the policing force of the city. Judiciary matters are carried out by the Council of Three, who stand as judge and jury over the people.
The Council is comprised of three individuals: two Knights who have held their vows for at least ten years and one citizen chosen by the Grandmaster. They ostensibly serve in this position for the rest of their lives, though it's rarely taken that literally. In most cases, the Knights will serve for ten to twenty years before requesting a quiet retirement as reward for their lifetime of service. The private citizen is often the only one who will serve the entirety of their term.
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Purpose
Criminals who commit heinous acts are dealt with swiftly by the Knights, of course, but those who are guilty of less offensive crimes - or visitors who break rules without really understanding them - will find themselves brought before the Council of Three to have their fates decided.
Judicial Process
The Councilors will hear the testimony of the accused as well as any comments presented by a witnessing Knight (which can simply be a written and signed testimony read aloud by a court secretary), and will hold a majority vote on whether the accused is guilty or innocent. That verdict, once decided, is final and cannot be appealed. Those found innocent will immediately have their possessions returned to them and will be escorted back to the Third Tier.
If found guilty, the three Councilors will then decide amongst themselves what punishment to assign. The less grievous the offense, the less the Councilors will agree on what punishment is appropriate. However, the High Councilor holds the final decision on what the punishment should be - the only way to overturn his or her decision is for the other two Councilors to reach a consensus and claim majority overrule. This is an extremely rare occurrence, having only happened a handful of times in the Council's history.
History
Following Syliras' first great population explosion, the Grandmaster found it difficult to ensure that punishment was meted out fairly throughout the city. Many complained that some of the Knights were more heavy-handed or more lenient, and that the same crime committed by two individuals would rarely earn the same consequence.
The Grandmaster assigned two of the more experienced Knights to begin hearing cases and to establish a set of guidelines that the citizens of Syliras could understand. They consulted with one of the more prominent citizens of the time, a widow who'd become an activist when her son was drawn into a barfight with a man who turned out to be a Knight, and was subsequently sent off to work the Lykolav Mines. After much deliberation, it was decided that she should join them in hearing the cases of the people, and the Council of Three was born.
Current Councilors
Nehim Irandel - The eldest Knight has served for the last fifteen years, and is nearing the age of retirement.
Fredir Stalinsa - The younger Knight has only been a Councilor for two years, and there's been some controversy over how appropriate a choice he was. He is often the lone vote for harsher sentencing in opposition to the two older, more compassionate Councilors.
Grace Njimi - Representing the people, Grace is well-known among the citizens of Syliras. As the longest serving member with over twenty years' experience, she currently holds the title of High Councilor.