@TheEdVerse
Greetings, Great Sage!
I'm working on a campaign right now and I'm in need of comprehensive information on legal proceedings and laws of Waterdeep. I found some information in "The City of Splendors" and "WDH" but I don't think that's enough. I simply need more!— Daniil (@DanielProoglow) January 11, 2020
1)
Formally, there isn’t any more. The Code Legal is it.
However, over the years, a huge body of what we real-world moderns might call “case law” (precedents from settled cases) has built up, and decrees have been issued by the 2)
…Open Lord (usually speaking for the Masked Lords) which amount to new laws applying within Waterdeep and its patrolled environs.
Here's the short version of how justice works: nobles and now guildmasters have the right to be…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020
3)
…tried by the Masked Lords, or by a trio of magisters including a Masked Lord; everyone else is tried by a magister (black-robed city magistrate). If you’re an accused, you don’t get to decide who.
There are no 4)
…lawyers/barristers/solicitors as we would define them in our modern real-world, but there are private “advocates” an accused can hire who will argue in court for those who are too frightened, injured, or tongue-tied, or…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020
5)
…have language difficulties (and for convenience, some Realms writers have referred to such individuals as “lawyers.”) The City Watch is the local police force, who make arrests.
In practise, the wealthy and powerful, or… 6)
…individuals operating in politicially ticklish situations, can often arrange for charges to be dropped in return for paying fines and undertaking quiet agreements with the authorities (such as “stay away from X” or “leave the…#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020
7)
…city forthwith” or “you are not to attempt to purchase Waterdhavian property this season or next”). The rather bloodthirsty Code Legal has for years been unofficially nudged towards a “pay this fine and we’ll forget all 8)
…about it” model because Waterdeep wants itself to be seen as a tolerant, crossroads trading city open to all, not a trap of litigation for all who visit.#Realmslore— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) January 12, 2020