San Andreas Judicial Branch

Judge Judy · May 16, 2022

SAJB Logo

San Andreas Judicial Branch
"EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW"

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History

The San Andreas Judicial Branch was first introduced in our great state by the San Andreas State Government on February 14th, 2021 in [PRESS RELEASE #28] Introducing the Judicial Branch. The first event held in the Los Santos Courthouse was the swearing in of a number of Judges including James Mayfeld, Bret Hyland, Darby Adler, and Andrew Vinewood, tasked with reviewing search warrant applications and building a system that would later become Criminal Appeals, allowing citizens of the state to dispute their charges in an attempt to get them removed from their record and be compensated for their time spent incarcerated.

Approximately one month later in [PRESS RELEASE #29] Appointment of Chief Justice, the first head of the faction, James Mayfeld, was introduced to the public.

As time progressed, the branch released the first iteration of the Appeals Court in [PRESS RELEASE #1] Appeals Court and began hiring a number of new members - most notably former-Court Clerk and Head of Recruiting Hank Holt, former-Attorney General and Head of the Bar Association Aurora James, and then-Court Clerk Judith Mason, who all worked hard to revamp the Judicial Branch's hiring processes and develop the different services that would later be provided.

Chief Justice James Mayfeld later stepped down from his position in September 2021, handing the reigns to Associate Justice Bret Hyland, who worked diligently to help the branch succeed until the start of the new year.

After much deliberation, the Board of Commissioners finally appointed the leader of the new administration: Colt Daniels, a longtime Sheriff's Deputy who had joined the Judicial Branch, had shown hard work and dedication in order to quickly climb the ranks, starting as a public defense attorney, becoming the first District Criminal Defense Attorney, and shortly after, rose to the occasion to become a Judge himself. The Board of Commissioners agreed that his commitment to the pursuit of justice would make him the best candidate to become the Chief Justice of the San Andreas Judicial Branch, later announced in [PRESS RELEASE #35] Appointment of Chief Justice and SADOC Warden.

With a new administration taking form, Chief Justice Daniels appointed then-Court Clerk Judith Mason to become his next Associate Justice, both of which now preside over the Supreme Court of San Andreas.

SAJB Logo in front of the Courthouse

Rank Structure

Supreme Court of San Andreas
(High Command Team)

Chief Justice
Head of the San Andreas Judicial Branch faction

Associate Justice
Co-Leader of the San Andreas Judicial Branch faction

Divisional Leadership & Judges
(Command Team)

Attorney General
Head of the Prosecution Division, representing the State of San Andreas in criminal cases

Chief Public Defender
Head of the Public Defense Division, representing defendants accused in criminal cases

Superior Court Justice
Justice authorized to preside over cases in the Superior Court and the Court of Appeals

Superior Court Judge
Judge authorized to preside over cases in the Superior Court

Magistrate Judge
Judge authorized to preside over civil cases in the Superior Court

Administrative Positions
(Supervisory Team)

Deputy Attorney General
Assists with the duties of the Attorney General

Deputy Chief Public Defender
Assists with the duties of the Chief Public Defender

Court Clerk
Assists with the duties of active judges, while training for their own future judgeship

Director of the Bar Association
Tasked with the administration of licensing all attorneys in the state

Director of the Public Notary
Tasked with the administration of court services including Contract Authenticity and Civil Partnerships

Director of Public Relations
Tasked with the administration of community and media relations

Prosecution Division

Senior Prosecuting Attorney
Senior members of the Prosecution Division that have proven themselves to be a valuable asset to the branch

Prosecuting Attorney
Attorneys tasked with the prosecution of defendants on behalf of the State of San Andreas in criminal court

Senior Prosecuting Paralegal
Senior administrative assistants working with attorneys in the Prosecution Division

Junior Prosecuting Attorney
Attorneys tasked with working with other prosecuting attorneys in the pursuit of charges against defendants on behalf of the State of San Andreas in criminal court

Prosecuting Paralegal
Administrative assistants working with attorneys in the Prosecution Division

Public Defense Division

Senior Defense Attorney
Senior members of the Public Defense Division that have proven themselves to be a valuable asset to the branch

Public Defense Attorney
Attorneys tasked with representing defendants in criminal court

Senior Defense Paralegal
Senior administrative assistants working with attorneys in the Public Defense Division

Junior Defense Attorney
Attorneys tasked with working with other defense attorneys in the pursuit defending the accused in criminal court

Defense Paralegal
Administrative assistants working with attorneys in the Public Defense Division

Judicial Branch Training Program

Law Student
Members of the branch who are in the process of learning the law and how it is applied before taking their Bar Examination

Junior Paralegal
Members of the branch who are in the process of learning the law and the administrative duties of the branch

An updated roster of the San Andreas Judicial Branch may be found on the Judicial Branch Personnel Page on the government website.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Judge Judy
Updated rank structure

Judge Judy · May 16, 2022

Table of Contents

The Judge's Bench

Introduction to the Judicial Branch

History and Rank Structure

The Supreme Court of San Andreas

Introduction to the Supreme Court
Biography for Chief Justice Judith Mason
Biography for Associate Justice Colt Daniels

Command Team

Introduction to the Command Team
Biography for Honorable Judge Robert Winejudge
Biography for Attorney General Hope Kant
Biography for Chief Public Defender Shaun Harper

Administrative Staff

Introduction to Administrative Staff positions
Description of the Deputy Attorney General position
Description of the Deputy Chief Public Defender position
Description of the Court Clerk position
Description of the Director of the Bar Association position
Description of the Director of the Public Notary position
Description of the Director of Public Relations position

Edited October 15, 2023 by Judge Judy
Added Hope, Removed Hugh

Judge Judy · May 16, 2022

The Supreme Court of San Andreas

Judicial Branch Press Conference

Being the court of highest authority in the State of San Andreas, justices sitting on the Supreme Court act as the Judicial Branch's High Command Team, tasked with ensuring the Judicial Branch faction is run in accordance with our Mission Statement:

"To enforce the law and defend the interests of the State of San Andreas according to the law;
to provide judicial leadership in preventing and controlling crime;
to seek punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior;
and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all citizens."

Justices on the Supreme Court are authorized to preside over all case types including any civil or criminal cases in the Superior Court, any disputed court decisions in the Court of Appeals, and, of course, cases that reach all the way up to the Supreme Court. Getting to the Supreme Court, though, is a rather tough feat to accomplish due to the process in which all cases must go through to begin with.

As will be later touched upon in the Three Court System post, cases must originate in the Superior Court of San Andreas - this court has what is called "Original Jurisdiction" and it's where the prosecution or plaintiff and defendant will present the entirety of their evidence for the Judge to make a decision.

If a decision is made on a case that one party does not agree with, that decision may be appealed to a higher court - The San Andreas Court of Appeals. With the Court of Appeals having "Appellate Jurisdiction," justices on this court will hear arguments regarding that disputed decision made by the lower court judge.

If there is a decision that is made by a justice in the Court of Appeals or there is a particularly weighty decision with an abundant of potential consequences being made, the case can be submitted to and taken up by the Supreme Court. The difference between this court and the lower courts, however, is that the Supreme Court is not required to take on any cases.

Cases being taken on by the Supreme Court are usually ones that will produce a large impact on a variety of citizens, and often include cases where there is a clarification or important interpretation of the San Andreas State Constitution.

Judith Mason Portrait

Chief Justice Judith Mason

Judith Mason was born and raised in Ashford, Connecticut. Growing up in what is known as Connecticut's Quiet Corner, her early life was the picture of traditional New England lifestyle.

After graduating high school, she moved south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to attend the University of Fort Lauderdale, acquiring degrees in Communications and Business Administration. Upon completing her education, she was hired by the University of Fort Lauderdale and worked in the administration building until personal matters compelled her to move across the country to Los Santos, San Andreas.

When she first arrived in the city, she gained employment with the county coroner's office and all she saw was corpses left behind by crime, unfortunate accidents, or other dire situations. She did her duty to serve the loved ones that had been left behind, giving them much needed condolences or words of affirmation that would help them move on to bigger and better things.

While on the job, she met many wonderful EMTs and got her first glimpse into the services the San Andreas government provides to help keep people safe. She then applied for and participated in ride-alongs with every department to learn what it takes to keep such a bustling community like Los Santos alive and well.

Feeling a duty to give back to the citizens who invited her to call this place home, Miss Mason applied for a position in the San Andreas Judicial Branch, where she was hired as a Paralegal and shortly after was certified by the Bar Association, becoming San Andreas' fourth practicing attorney.

Since then, she was nominated for Court Clerkship by former Chief Justice James Mayfeld and served five months in that position before being promoted to Associate Justice by then-Chief Justice Colt Daniels. In May of 2023, Mr. Daniels made the decision to step down from Chief Justice to assume the role of Associate Justice, and Judith Mason was sworn in as the third Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of San Andreas.

Miss Mason pledges to work for the people in a transparent manner that will not only strengthen their faith in the San Andreas government but to defend their rights afforded to them under the penal code.

Colt Daniels Portrait

Associate Justice Colt Daniels

Associate Justice Colt Daniels was born in 1983 here in Los Santos at Central Medical Center and grew up in the Mirror Park neighborhood. When he turned 18, he began a job with the Los Santos Truckers Union for a few years before applying to the Los Santos County Sheriff's Department.

He was accepted into the academy and began his training, ultimately spending years in the department working within many divisions during his tenure, including serving in the Special Enforcement Detail, Detention and Parole Bureau, Recruitment and Employment Division, Air Support Division, and the Sheriff's Information Division.

Colt has always had a passion for helping the citizens of San Andreas. He felt that he could only do so much in the Sheriff's Department, so in the summer of 2021 he took off the duty belt, hung up his campaign hat, and retired honorably at the rank of Agent.

Colt quickly sought employment with the San Andreas Judicial Branch, after a successful interview with the former Attorney General Aurora James he was hired and began studying for the San Andreas Bar Examination. Once he was certified by the state he began assisting with public defense as he enjoyed helping the citizens. After many cases he got approached to take the position of District Criminal Defense Attorney and humbly accepted.

Towards the end of 2021 he noticed a lack of leadership in the branch since the retirement of former Chief Justice James Mayfeld and took a position as a Judge. Rather quickly, he was approached by the San Andreas Board of Commissioners who had been taking notice of his remarkable work he had done with the development of the branch.

In January of 2022, the Board of Commissioners appointed Colt Daniels as the Chief Justice of San Andreas. Since his appointment, he has completely reworked the San Andreas Judicial Branch with the assistance of Associate Justice Judith Mason into what it is today.

Associate Justice Daniels has a passion for the pursuit of justice and we can assure you, if you see him in the judges bench he will evaluate cases on their merits, without prejudice or preconception.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Judge Judy
Judy got promoted!

Judge Judy · May 16, 2022

Command Team

Judicial Branch Press Conference

The next rung of the Judicial Branch Leadership Team includes all judges and the heads of the two main divisions: the Prosecution Division and the Public Defense Division. These members ensure that the fair administration of justice is had for all citizens coming through the San Andreas Court Systems.

Four different types of judges currently exist in the Judicial Branch rank structure:

Magistrate Judges are authorized to preside over civil cases in the Superior Court
Superior Court Judges are authorized to preside over both civil and criminal cases in the Superior Court
Superior Court Justices are authorized to preside over both civil and criminal cases in the Superior Court, and appeals cases in the Court of Appeals
Supreme Court Justices are authorized to preside over all case types

This breakdown in position not only allows for further rank progression once a member reaches the position of judge, but also ensures that cases with the biggest potential impacts are reserved for qualified judges that have been with the branch for an extended period of time.

Aside from judges, the Attorney General and Chief Public Defender are both considered members of the Judicial Branch Command Team due to their leadership role overseeing the activities of their respective divisions.

The Attorney General is tasked with ensuring that all prosecution on the State of San Andreas is fair and making sure that appropriate charges are pursued should probable cause be established that a suspect has violated the law and the Chief Public Defender is tasked with overseeing the fair representation of the accused to ensure their rights are upheld.

Robert Winejudge Portrait

Honorable Judge Robert Winejudge

No biography provided.

Hope Kant Portrait

Attorney General Hope Kant

No biography provided.

Chief Public Defender Shaun Harper

No biography provided.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Judge Judy
Executive Defense Atty -> Chief Public Defender

Judge Judy · May 16, 2022

Administrative Staff

Judy Mason during Kopi Crozen v. Los Santos Police Department

Several administrative positions exist within the Judicial Branch - some of these roles exist as the next step up the ladder of the ranking structure towards the position they will directly assist with; while others include added responsibilities that senior members of the branch may undertake, in addition to their normal duties, to assist with the effective performance of key branch functions. More specifically, there are support positions for divisional leadership and judges, who assist with the duties of their respective higher-ups; and there are several different Director positions that relate to certain types of functions that the Judicial Branch and the general public rely upon.

Deputy Attorney General

The ranking structure of the Judicial Branch allows for two Deputy Attorney Generals who will assist with the duties that the Attorney General is tasked with on a day-to-day basis. This may include tasks such as further training the more junior members of their division, investigating the pursuit of possible criminal charges against suspects of a crime, and the act of criminally prosecuting defendants in the Superior Court.

Hand-selected by the Attorney General, alongside the guidance of the Judicial Branch Command Team, the two Deputy Attorney Generals specialize in cases according to their assigned jurisdiction: either working alongside the Los Santos Police Department or the Los Santos County Sheriff's Department. This ensures that both departments have a specific point of contact with the San Andreas Judicial Branch that they can rely upon when requiring the assistance of the Prosecution Division, or the Attorney General themselves.

Deputy Chief Public Defender

Similar to that of the Deputy Attorney General, the Deputy Chief Public Defender is tasked with supporting their direct superior during the day-to-day operations of their division, including tasks such as coordinating members of the Public Defense Division for the effective defense of the accused, arranging consultations for those facing criminal charges, and actively defending their clients against prosecution in the Superior Court.

With the Judicial Branch Command Team's advisement, the Chief Public Defender selects a member from the Public Defense Division to become their assistant so that they are able to ensure all those suspected of a crime are appropriately and effectively represented.

Court Clerk

Court Clerks are members of the Judicial Branch that have proven themselves as an attorney that wish to take the next step in the path away from representing clients directly, but rather, in the direction of presiding over and adjudicating the cases that come through the court system.

As there is a large step from representing clients or prosecuting defendants to presiding over cases, members interested in pursuing judgeship are required to undergo specific training and perform a variety of tasks and duties under the direct supervision of active judges before they have proven that they will remain unbiased and impartial while performing all of their future responsibilities.

Director of the Bar Association

Tasked with the administrative duties that fall under the Bar Association, this Director is responsible for ensuring all licensed attorneys operating within the state are adhering to the strict set of professional and ethical standards that are published by the Supreme Court of San Andreas, as outlined in the Judicial Branch Handbook, the Code of Ethics, and the Judicial Code of Conduct. These documents are integral to the effective and ethical representation of clients and prosecution of defendants that all attorneys must abide by, at risk of losing their license and being ousted from the branch.

The Director of the Bar Association will also work closely with the Bar Ethics Review Board, which is the body that investigates alleged misconduct by members of the Judicial Branch or private practice attorneys operating in the State of San Andreas. The Bar Ethics Review Board will then, in turn, provide a recommendation to the Director following their investigation of misconduct, who will then make a final determination on whether an attorney's license to practice law will be suspended or revoked based on their conduct.

Director of the Public Notary

The Director of the Public Notary is responsible for overseeing several different services that the Judicial Branch provides to citizens of San Andreas, including the Office of Contract Authenticity and the Office of Marriage and Civil Partnerships. Being heavily paperwork-oriented, this position requires a good sense of organization and a keen eye for detail to ensure the relevant forms and documents are filed correctly and completely.

Director of Public Relations

Wishing to remain as transparent as possible when it comes to the judicial process, the information that the Judicial Branch makes available to the public on a regular basis is just as important as the cases themselves in order to show the impartial and effective administration of justice. The Director of Public Relations is in charge of being not only the spokesperson for the Judicial Branch as a whole, but is also in charge of effectively communicating the wants and needs of the public when it comes to feedback for the branch.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Judge Judy
Executive Defense Atty -> Chief Public Defender