Space Maritime Law

This page is outdated and should no longer be considered canon information.

"SML", "Law", and "Maritime Law" redirect here. For the Sol Defense Corps' guide on uniform justice, see: Uniform Code of Military Justice.

These are not the in-game rules. To see the guidelines of the game itself, see Community Guidelines.

Space Maritime Law encompasses rules and regulations to be followed while in space.

Applicability

Space Maritime Law applies to any and all personnel, civilian or military, onboard a Sol Defense Corps vessel traveling in international space.

International space is defined as any region of space, which is not within 300 kilometers of an inhabited celestial body such as Earth or Mars. Vessels traveling within 300km of an inhabited celestial body are subject to that planet's international law instead.

Military-exclusive punishments such as Neglect of Duty (F10) may only be applied to military personnel. Civilian personnel can be tried for equivalent charges, such as Endangerment (M04).

Executions

Executions are only permitted for enlisted personnel by court-martial sentencing. A court-martial is the only way that a convicted military service member can be legally executed unless in dire circumstances. Civilians working on the vessel must be held in the ship's brig until trial in a civilian court is possible.

See Standard Operating Procedure for more information on court-martial procedures.

Anyone who has been given a sentence of death may choose which option suits them if more than one option is possible. They may also choose to receive painkillers, anesthesia, and/or tranquilizers if not otherwise required. They must also be able to be given a chance to say last words, except during special procedures (see below).

• Firing Squad: The subject will be fired upon by three rifles or carbines simultaneously until the subject is dead. Only the M7A3/4/S, MLP-22, HSG-37, and SA-5D may be used as firing squad weaponry. Handguns, energy weapons, machineguns (such as the Titan-C), shotguns and marksman rifles (such as the DMR-225) are prohibited from usage.

• Lethal Injection: The subject must be injected intravenously with a poison intended to first knock out the subject, and then to stop their heart. The subject must not experience physical pain or discomfort of any degree during the process with the exception of the initial injection.

• Airlock Ejection: The airlock used must be filled with air and locked, and then have its exterior door forced open, without cycling, so that the subject is forced away from the vessel by air pressure. Airlock ejection should only be used when the subject in question cannot be executed safely via firing squad or lethal injection.

Special Procedures

• Hostile entities or unknown / non-identifiable humanoid entities that possess immediate danger to the crew can be executed without the requirement of a court-martial.
• Pre-execution formalities such as allowing the convicted to say last words can be omitted (skipped) during a security emergency such as Code Amber or Code Red.

Lethal Force

Situations that warrant the use of deadly force are few and far between. In the vast majority of cases, security personnel will be expected to use non-lethal means to defuse a situation.

There are however certain circumstances where deadly force is permissible:

• The target is impervious to non-lethal weapons.
• The targets is in possession of a deadly weapon, with reasonable suspicion that they will utilize said weapon.
• The target is unable to be safely and/or reliably contained within the ship's brig.
• Attempting to arrest the target would pose a significant personal risk to others.

Due Process

During normal or elevated non-emergency operation, a warrant of arrest or search must be approved by a line officer in a commanding or security position, such as the Captain or the Tactical Officer.

A warrant may be waived and have its presentation and authorization delayed if a member of Security witnesses a crime being committed firsthand, or if waiting for a warrant would result in harm to personnel and/or further escalation of the incident at hand.

Search warrants approved by anyone other than the Captain can be overruled by the Captain with due reason. During emergencies, warrants are suspended and Security can arrest for any valid reason.

Authority

Onboard a civilian or military vessel, authority in all but capital punishments can be overseen by a ship's Commanding Officer or, in their absence, the ROIC. Commanding officers may only issue punishments that do not prove immediate physical or psychological harm to the prisoner in question, e.g.: beating.

In a military setting, a prisoner can be tried in a civilian court if the prisoner is a civilian, or court-martialed by a presiding officer if the prisoner is from the military.

Court-Martials

Court-martials may be delivered and used for capital and war crimes only. Court-martials may NOT be declared if the offense is a felony, misdemeanor or otherwise a Non-Judicial Punishment under the UCMJ.

Officers who attempt or threaten a court-martial for an invalid crime can be charged under Prevarication.

See this section of SOP for details about court-martials.

Special Personnel Provisions

Robotic Personnel

Robotic personnel such as a Robot or Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be charged with crimes according to SML if, and only if, they committed it on their own intent and not due to an underlying cause such as a programming error. Robotic personnel can be shutdown without the usage of a court-martial if they demonstrate a clear threat to the ship's crew.

Robotic personnel should not be prosecuted via a court-martial in the event they are convicted of a capital or a war crime. Immediate punishment (see section Punishments above) should be prescribed as soon as they are apprehended.

Alien Personnel

Alien personnel affiliated with the SDC, such as being in military service or as a partnered contractor, are subject to the same rights and responsibilities as a human of equivalent rank or status. Alien entities not affiliated with the SDC such as unknown or hostile foreign entities may be charged with crimes without the usage of a court-martial.

Punishments

Punishment should be conducted first by appropriate Security personnel or, in their absence or when otherwise in a military environment, by military personnel such as those of a Navy or Marines.

Punishment scales depending on the severity of the offense. Severe offenses warrant summary punishment, while capital punishments can result in executions if authorized by a superior military official.

Generally, punishments will involve confinement in a ship's Brig or a station's jail if available until the vessel arrives at a port, in which case the prisoner will be offloaded and tried for their crimes at the port authority's presiding court.

Punishments are dictated and handed out in relation to the crime committed in question. Prescribing an inappropriate punishment can be punished under Prevarication.

Punishment	Description	Appropriate For
Confinement	Punishment via duress in the ship's brig. Sentence should be a minimum of 1 minute and a maximum of 20 minutes.	Non-capital offenses
Crew Transfer	To transfer the prisoner off-ship for confinement with an external, legitimate military authority such as the SDC.	Non-capital offenses
Confiscation	The confiscation of a tool, firearm, weapon or other item that was used in a crime.	Open Carry, Theft
Extended Confinement	Capital punishment in which the prisoner is locked in the ship's brig permanently or until transfer to an SDC station for processing.	Capital offenses
Execution	Killing the prisoner in question through a prescribed means, such as firing squad.	Capital offenses
Cognitive Reconditioning	Reprogramming an artificial intelligence to rid flaws and make it more submissive.	Convicted Robot/AI
Shutdown	Shutting down and subsequent scrapping of an artificial intelligence.	Convicted Robot/AI

Prisoner Rights

Prisoners reserve rights to remain to them while under confinement in the brig.

• Prisoners must be granted adequate medical care. This includes psychiatric and spiritual counseling if requested.
• Prisoners must be allowed access to communications equipment (PDA, Radio, intercom, etc) so long as they are not abused.
• Prisoners must be granted clothing, food, water, shelter, and safety. If the brig is no longer safe, confinement must be established in another location.
• Prisoners must be given access to legal counsel during interrogation if requested and available.

Offenses

Offenses are classified into four categories: Misdemeanors (code M), Felonies (code F), Capital Crimes (code X), and War Crimes (code Z). These categories each receive their own degree of punishment appropriate for the offense: someone accused of petty theft should not be executed, and a murderer should not simply be sentenced to holding.

The following is a list of offenses that can result in punitive punishment.

Modifiers

To be used in conjunction with an offense.

Modifier	Description	Modification
Resisting Arrest	Resisting a lawful search or arrest by a member of Security or military personnel.	+3 minutes confinement
Aiding and Abetting	Assisting others in committing a crime, directly or indirectly, or encouraging them to commit one. Any person Aiding and Abetting are required to be told the crimes of the person they aided.	Same punishment as the crime committed
Disorderly Conduct in Confinement	To cause disruption in a major manner while in the brig and under arrest. This can be added on to any charge.	+3 minutes / offense, stackable
Self-Defense	If the crime in question was caused only through self-defense. If successfully pleaded, crimes such as Manslaughter are reduced.	Reduction/elimination of sentence
Attempt	Attempting to commit a crime, with the intent to carry out that crime.	Same sentence as if carried out

Misdemeanors

Code	Crime	Description	Notes
M01	Maltreatment	Treating other personnel with dishonorable conduct such as physical or verbal abuse.	This punishment applies additionally to abusive security or military personnel who use disproportionate amounts of force.
M02	Trespassing	Entering a room or site that one is not authorized to access.	This only involves entering a room without force; actively attempting to break into a restricted-access area is nested under Breaking and Entering.
M03	Vandalism	Defacement of property not belonging to the criminal.	This includes graffiti or other actions that ruin a non-private area. This does not include actions that put personnel at risk of harm.
M04	Endangerment	Putting yourself or others at unnecessary risk through action or lack thereof.	This includes malpractice, safety negligence, reckless command, or otherwise failure to overlook safety concerns in an area.
M05	Hooliganism	Acting unprofessional and/or rowdy, such as shouting, indecent exposure, or aggressive assembly.	Note that any harm inflicted by anyone charged with this offense can have the appropriate charge stacked on top of this one.
M06	Open Carry	Possession of a firearm with the clear intent of discharge or usage when the usage of such is inappropriate or unnecessary.	Weapons should always be carried with the safety on and never unholstered in non-critical circumstances unless it is with the safety on, magazine and/or chamber unloaded, and pointed away from any personnel. All guns unholstered should always be treated as loaded. Note that the crime only applies if the weapon is actively and purposefully discharged, or aimed but otherwise not used on someone.
M07	Contraband	Possessing illegal items or controlled substances to be brought aboard, such as unauthorized animals, narcotics, illegal weaponry, unauthorized communication or information devices or the like.	A list of seizable contraband can be found below.
M08	Negligent Discharge	The negligent discharge of a weapon, when the usage of such is unnecessary.	Can be stacked with Open Carry (M06).

Felonies

Code	Crime	Description	Notes
F01	Assault	To verbally threaten someone with the act of violence with malicious intent and the capability to do so.	The punishment applies immediately if the suspect brandishes a weapon while making a threat.
F02	Battery	Usage of physical violence against someone with the intent to severely harm non-lethally.	This usually is limited to blunt force trauma, such as heavy fistfights or makeshift weaponry. Punching someone once does not qualify as a felony.
F03	Theft	The illegal acquisition of an object that does not belong to the suspect and without knowledge and/or permission of the original owner.	Note that having access to an item does not mean you are authorized to take it.
F04	Destruction of Property	To maliciously damage or destroy valuable property such as furniture. This also applies to legal or official documents.	Tearing a single report in half does not qualify as a felony. The document in question must be valuable and/or have significant standing in a legal setting.
F05	Rioting	Causing disorderly or dangerous behavior in a group while also risking harm or damage to other people or objects.	Differs from hooliganism in that malicious intent is usually involved, as well as the involvement of destruction.
F06	Harrassment	Aggressively pressuring or intimidating someone.	This includes outward insults towards an equal or inferior rank, bullying, and other debilitating acts.
F07	Possession of Destructive Weaponry	To create, own or possess a weapon capable of structural and area damage, such as explosives.	If the weapon in question is being attempted to be used against the crew, the charge is escalated to Sabotage.
F08	Breaking and Entering	To use force or violence to deliberately break into an area that one does not have legitimate access to.	The method of breaking and entering can also have relevant charges stacked on top of this one, particularly F07.
F09	Prevarication	To intentionally order the arrest of a person on false charges who is then found to be innocent, to apply an improper or abusive NJP, or to attempt to charge someone with an invalid, incorrect or inappropriate crime.	This is, essentially, false arrest. A crewmember can be charged with this, also, if they order an arrest for someone who has not broken SML.
F10	Neglect of Duty	Failure to perform one’s role to an acceptable standard.	Examples include failure to follow proper procedure, or a Captain failing to act as the commanding officer.
F11	Assault with a Deadly Weapon	To threaten or use physical force against someone with ill intent and with a lethal weapon such as a sidearm, blade, or rifle but not attempting to murder them.	More severe punishment than regular Assault. Also covers battery with a deadly weapon.

Capital Crimes

Code	Crime	Description	Notes
X01	Murder	The killing of a person with premeditated malicious intent.	Killing someone without malicious intent can be labeled as manslaughter, referred to below.
X02	Attempted Murder	The attempted, but unsuccessful, killing of a person with malicious intent.	If the victim still dies after being attacked, the charge is escalated to murder.
X03	Manslaughter	To kill someone without the specific intent to murder, such as self-defense or aggravated manslaughter.	Used when the criminal actions were not meant to result in death. Can be appealed by pleading self-defense.
X04	Maiming	Disfiguring, disabling or impairing a person with malicious intent from physical trauma or injury.	This law still applies to deceased bodies.
X05	Sexual Assault	Attacking someone with sexual intent, including rape.	Erotic Roleplay (ERP) of any kind is strictly prohibited and will result in a ban from the game.
X06	Illegal Confinement	The illegal transport, confinement, or acquisition of a person without their consent or will. This includes kidnapping, hostage-taking, and unlawful imprisonment.	A security officer can be charged with this if they arrest a person with no valid reason.
X07	Sabotage	To deliberately inhibit the vital operation of a vessel, station or its crew with the intent to destroy or cripple.	Includes arson, bombing, and other charges that result in mass destruction.
X08	Espionage	To collect confidential information for the purposes of giving to a foreign authority, organization or power with the intent of exposing critical information or vulnerabilities.	Convicted spies have execution as the only possible sentence.
X09	Mutiny	To violently attempt to remove someone of legitimate authority from power.	Military personnel can additionally be charged with stripping of rank via the respective Judicial Punishment found in the UCMJ.
X10	Torture	To use violence or corporal punishment illegally as a means to gain information or as punishment. Also includes non-consensual experimentation.	Proper prisoner procedure and due process must be handled. Torture in any capacity is a capital offense.
X11	Insanity	Acting in such a manner that the offender is not clear of mind.	The Medical Officer and the Captain can jointly declare a crewmember insane with valid reason.
X12	Grevious Endangerment	Negligence or malpractice that results in the severe harm or injury of someone else.	This includes acts such as destruction of vital equipment without intent to specifically do so. If intent is found, charge is escalated to Sabotage.

War Crimes

War crimes (prefix Z) are international crimes prohibited by the United Nations charter and respective Geneva conventions. If convicted of a war crime, execution is the only possible punishment.

Code	Crime	Description	Notes
Z01	Development of Biological/Chemical Weaponry	Developing weaponized chemical or biological agents for usage in conflict.	The United Nations strictly prohibits the development of chemical or biological weaponry. This includes the creation/development of viruses/diseases.
Z02	Nonprovoked Attack on Foreign Vessel	To open fire, unprovoked, on a foreign craft with intent to destroy and no intent to establish communication.	The charge applies regardless of whether or not the attacked vessel is armed.
Z03	Attack on a Allied Vessel	Attacking an allied spacecraft, installation or base belonging to any branch of the United Nations or its partners.	Includes SDC starbases, other SDCN ships, or UN-owned planets and colonies. Notably also includes known allies of the UN, such as private organizations or corporations.
Z04	Unauthorized Declaration of War	Attempting to declare war on a foreign power without the consent or authorization of the UN Government.	This applies to war declaration of any foreign power, human or extraterrestrial. The charge still applies even if the enemy has declared war first.
Z05	Genocide	The selective killing or extermination of a race.	Includes usage of ship-based weapons on a planet or installation not otherwise belonging to the UN or its branches.
Z06	Unauthorized CBRN Usage	The usage of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear* weaponry against a target with cruel intent.	Thermonuclear weapons are prohibited in normal usage by UN regulations. CBRN may only be used as a last-resort against an enemy with the explicit authorization by the SDC or the UN government.

Contraband

Contraband, also known as controlled substances, is any item or substance that is either illegal or heavily regulated by UN standards. Examples include: makeshift weaponry, illegal communication or information devices, narcotics (when used in a non-medicinal fashion) or pets/livestock.

Illegal Items

The following items are completely illegal:

• Makeshift or custom-built firearms made by a first party.
• Chemicals that directly inhibit or poison the user, such as poisons and toxins, that do not have any medicinal properties. Narcotics are regulated, as seen below.
• Biological or chemical weaponry. Possession or development of such is a war crime (Z01).
• Hardware or software intended to be maliciously used in illegal activities such as hacking or bypassing electronic systems.

Regulated Items/Substances

The following items are regulated and may only be legally carried or made with clear intent and goodwill.

• Livestock or pets, unless carried as part of a humane research experiment. Mice, species from Avalon, or other small animals are permitted; however, pet animals or livestock such as dogs, cats, or cows and sheep are not allowed.
• Automatic weapons when in possession of a non-crewmember or uncertified crewmember, or someone who is not a member of the SDC, UN Government, or an authorized civilian contracting agency.
• Narcotics that can be used recreationally with inhibitive, addictive, or harmful properties. This includes opioids such as fentanyl and must only be used for medicinal purposes by trained medical personnel.