Criminal Code of the Federation of Ascenia/Complete text

The Criminal Code of the Federation of Ascenia (often referred to as the Code) is the supreme statute of criminal law of the Federation of Ascenia that defines criminal offenses under federal law (criminal behavior that is punishable in all 31 provinces, as well as offenses that take place across provincial lines). The Code was first enacted on January 9, 2110, alongside the formation of the Citadel Congress. In its 190 year history, it has been amended well over 100 times.

The Code is comprised of articles and, being a document for purely legislative purposes, is permanently released to the public domain. As its revisions are often used by judicial bodies when conducting decisions, the complete text of every revision of the Code is available on the Federation's website, and the entire collection of revisions is also available for download.

A complete text of the Code is available below.

Complete text of the Criminal Code
FOR PUBLIC USE AND DISTRIBUTION     EDITION CXC

THE CRIMINAL CODE OF THE FEDERATION OF ASCENIA FOR THE FEDERATION OF ASCENIA

Updated in this TWO HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SECOND Session of the Citadel Congress

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ARTICLE 1. Definitions of felonies and misdemeanours 1. A defendant is guilty of committing a misdemeanour if they perpetrate or act as an accessory to a crime with any of the following conditions: (i) The crime carries a maximum imprisonment term of nine months or less; (ii) The crime carries a fine of 100,000 credit(s) or less. 2. A defendant is guilty of committing a felony if they perpetrate or act as an accessory to a crime with any of the following conditions: (i) The crime carries a maximum imprisonment term of greater than nine months. (ii) The crime carries a fine of between 100,000 to 250,000 credit(s), or carries a fine greater than 250,000 credit(s), or both.

ARTICLE 2. Classes of felonies and imprisonment of offenders 1. An offense shall be referred to under the following classes, if such class was not referred to by name: (i) An offense with a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment shall be referred to as a Class Z felony if it was not referred to by name. (ii) An offense with a statutory penalty between fifteen and fifty years shall be referred to as a Class X felony if it was not referred to by name. (iii) An offense with a statutory penalty between ten and fifteen years shall be referred to as a Class D felony if it was not referred to by name. (iv) An offense with a statutory penalty of between one and ten years shall be referred to as a Class G felony if it was not referred to by name. 2. The term "statutory penalty" shall be construed to mean the maximum penalty of imprisonment against a defendant convicted of such offense. 3. Mandatory life imprisonment shall be imposed on any defendant who: has been convicted of three or more violent felonies as defined under Article 2B.

ARTICLE 2B. Violent felonies 1. A felony shall be considered violent if it:

ARTICLE 2C. Life imprisonment of offenders convicted of crimes against children 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a defendant convicted of an offense that is a serious violent felony (as defined under Article 2(B)) shall be sentenced to life imprisonment if the following circumstances apply to the offense: (i) The victim of the offense was a minor, and (ii) The victim of the offense had not yet reached the age of thirteen years, and (iii) The offense directly resulted in the death of the victim.

ARTICLE 2D. Definition of minors, children, juvenile offenders, and violent juvenile offenders 1. A person shall be considered a minor if they have not yet attained the age of eighteen years. 2. A person shall be considered a juvenile offender if they, being a minor, commit a crime, whether the offense be a misdemeanor or a felony. (i) A person shall be considered a violent juvenile offender if they, being a juvenile offender, commit a violent felony as defined under Article 2(B). 3. A person shall be considered a child if they are between the ages of one and thirteen. This definition of child does not supersede the definition listed under paragraph 1 of this Article.

ARTICLE 3. Direct offenders to an offense 1. A person who commits an offense against the Federation of Ascenia ("Federation") or aids, abets, conspires, requests, or otherwise obtains a committed offense against the Federation shall be punishable as a direct offender. 2. A person who willfully allows or causes an offense that would be construed as an offense against the Federation if done by themselves shall be punishable as a direct offender.

ARTICLE 4. Accessories to an offense 1. A person who, knowing that a crime was committed by a direct offender, aids, abets, conceals, or otherwise assists the offender in order to prevent the offender's seizure, prosecution, trial, or further legal consequences shall be considered an accessory to an offense. 2. An accessory to an offense shall be punished: (i) By a term of imprisonment to not exceed half of the direct offender's term, if the direct offender's behavior was punishable by imprisonment; (ii) By a fine to not exceed half of the direct offender's fine, if the direct offender's behavior was punishable by a fine; (iii) By both penalties described under (i) and (ii), if the direct offender's behavior was punishable by imprisonment and a fine, respectively. 3. Where the maximum penalty of the direct offender is life imprisonment, the accessory may be punished by a maximum of fifteen years of imprisonment.

ARTICLE 5. Concealment of a felony 1. A person who knowingly possesses information of an offense committed against the Federation and fails to report the offense to a law enforcement agency, magistrate, judge, or any other legal agency shall be punished as follows: (i) A fine of not more than 1,000 credit(s); (ii) A period of imprisonment to not exceed one year; (iii) Both penalties as described above.

ARTICLE 6. Definition of the "Federation" 1. The term "Federation", when used throughout this Code, refers to all planets, areas of space, wormholes, stars, space objects, galactic objects, astronomical phenomena, or territory under the jurisdiction of the Federation of Ascenia.

ARTICLES 7 - 20 Definitions of other things. Complete this later.

ARTICLE 21. Defense of insanity 1. Where a defendant is being prosecuted under any Federal law (as defined in this Code), it shall be an affirmative defense if the defendant shows that they were unable to understand the wrongfulness of their acts. 2. Where the defendant wishes to demonstrate a defense of insanity, the burden of proof shall rest with the defendant.

ARTICLE 22. Use of minors in the commission of violent offenses 1. A person who, being over the age of 18: (i) Uses a minor (as defined under Article 2(D)) to commit a violent offense where such an offense is so prosecutable; (ii) Uses a minor in order to assist the concealment, evasion, or prevent the detection of such an offense; 2. Shall be subject to the following punishment upon first conviction: (i) Receive a term of imprisonment and a fine twice that of the offense. 3. Shall be subject to the following punishment upon any subsequent convictions: (ii) Receive a term of imprisonment and a fine thrice that of the offense.