Bron District Court.
There were four people sitting in the defendant's seat: Portram, Lu Ming, Hanmari and village representative Luo Xiaozhu.
The plaintiff's seat is composed of the Hansis team and plaintiff Hamilson and others.
Judge Han John is a gray-haired old man in his fifties.
After the trial began, Portram stood up first, "Your Honor, I request to call the plaintiff's witness, Ms. Han Hiddink."
Hans Hiddink is the mayor of Quesi Town. In the ancient archives of Quesi Town, there are documents kept showing that the Hamilson family owns the land of Sanjiaoao in the northwest of the town. The land reclaimed by Luojia Village belongs to the Sanjiaoao area.
This land was part of the land that the Duke of Hanzhou bestowed upon Bron nobles of all sizes during the Great Reclamation Era. The Hamilson family got a share of it. In fact, it can be seen that the Hamilson family was a very weak family at the time, because this land was originally worthless. Of course, the title of the Duke of Hanzhou no longer exists today.
Hearing that Portram was going to summon Hansingh, Hansis stood up immediately. "Objection, Ms. Hansingh has been questioned many times, and the document has been proven to be legally effective! Although the defendant has changed lawyers, it is clear from the court records what stage the court trial has reached. If we keep pestering and delaying the case, it will be a waste of the court's resources."
Judge Han John nodded and said, "Defendant's lawyer, what is your intention in summoning Ms. Han Hiddink? If you want to question Ms. Han Hiddink's character or the legality of Exhibit No. 1, I do not agree to your questioning Ms. Han Hiddink again unless there is new and decisive evidence."
Portram smiled and said, "Your Honor, we do have new evidence. The museum document is from the Great Reclamation Period. Ms. Han Hiddink's family has been the night watchman of Ques Town since the Great Reclamation Period. We hope to cite the legal provisions from the Great Reclamation Period. We need Ms. Han Hiddink to testify as to whether they are still applicable today."
"Objection..." Hansis stood up again.
Judge Han John waved his hand. This was indeed a new perspective. It would be unreasonable not to allow the defendant's lawyer to continue. "Allow Ms. Hiddink to appear in court again to testify." He then asked Hansis: "Can Ms. Hiddink appear in court today?"
Hansis nodded. "We are prepared for the defendant's entanglement, so Ms. Hansiddink and the main witness are here."
The jurors in the jury box all smiled. It was obvious that they already knew who would win the case.
Soon, Han Hiddink took the witness stand. She was an elegant woman in her early fifties.
Portram took two steps to the witness stand, smiled and greeted, and then said: "Ms. Hiddink, can I start?"
Han Hiddink nodded slightly.
Portram said, "Ms. Hiddink, in the previous classes, you proved from the perspective of historical jurisprudence that Exhibit No. 1 is still legally binding. We all know that Exhibit No. 1 comes from the Great Reclamation Period. Then, Ms. Hiddink, do you think that the Free Cultivation Act, which also comes from the Great Reclamation Period, is still legally binding?"
Han Hiddink shook his head. "I'm not a legal expert, so I'm not qualified to answer your question. But what I do know is that the Free Farming Act is a federal law, and it has been explicitly abolished in most parts of the empire. There was a case in Hanzhou more than a decade ago that regarded the Free Farming Act as a forgotten law from the old times that didn't conform to the spirit of today's law, and ignored it. I also know that there are many old laws that have not been explicitly abolished, but are actually completely incompatible with the life of the new era, and seem ridiculous, and will not be recognized by the court."
Over there, Hansis had a smile on his face, and it was obvious that he had prepared for it long ago.
Portram asked a few more questions, and Hansi Dink answered them all flawlessly.
"So, Ms. Hanshindink, do you think that the Law of Lord Bron, which is kept in the Museum in Ques Town, has full legal effect?" Portram asked finally.
Han Hiddink considered and said, "I'll say it again. What I want to explain is that the land grant and inheritance rights based on the "Law of Lord Brun" are still legally effective now, not that the "Law of Lord Brun" is still legally effective. It's like, if Lawyer Portram's ancestor was once awarded a piece of jewelry by the emperor, then as long as the jewelry was not sold by your ancestors and passed down to the present, it will naturally still be yours!"
Over there, Hansis had a triumphant smile on his face.
Portram nodded. "So, the premise is that the 'Law of Lord Bron' is legally binding when it is promulgated."
Han Hiddink thought for a moment and nodded slightly.
"Your Honor, I have no other questions!" Portram bowed slightly to the bench.
…
After Hans Hiddink stepped down from the witness stand, Potram fought a few more moves with Hanses but didn't gain any advantage.
At ten o'clock, Judge Han John announced that the court would adjourn for twenty minutes, which was actually time for going to the toilet.
Lu Ming and others returned to the lounge. When they were discussing something in a low voice, there was a knock on the lounge door. It was Hansis who came in with a victorious smile on his face.
"Lawyer Lu! This is our new settlement agreement!" Hansis handed a letter to Lu Ming. Obviously, he had investigated his opponent and could tell the big and small kings from the small ones.
Lu Ming smiled, and Han Marie beside him picked it up and took a look, then said, "Our client refuses your agreement."
Hansis's face immediately darkened, "Who do you think you are?!" Although she is a beauty at the level of a campus belle and very pleasing to the eye, she is still a student. Using her to entertain himself is too disrespectful.
"We have already read the agreement you proposed. We did not reject it in violation of regulations, but we are not satisfied with your conditions!" Hanmari raised her pretty face without giving in.
Hansis's face darkened. Being ignored like this, his good mood just now was gone. He said to Lu Ming, "Lawyer Lu, it's because of you that I took so much trouble to persuade my client to propose such a generous settlement agreement. You should know that you are bound to lose this lawsuit!"
Portram stood up and said, "Now that you have finished speaking, please leave, or we will file a complaint with the court!"
He had come here to show off his prowess, but he had not expected that Lu Qianxing, a famous young genius and eccentric in the East China Sea, would come here to take the case. He had it in his hands. If he won the case, he would have a chance to be promoted to the third level next year. He had actually defeated him, which would give him a much greater sense of accomplishment than defeating a fifth-level lawyer like Portram.
But unexpectedly, he hit a snag. From beginning to end, Lu Qianxing didn't say a word to him.
With a cold snort, Hansis turned and left.
Looking at his back, Portram shook his head helplessly: "I don't even know I'm going to die." He was even more relieved in his heart. As expected, when standing on the opposite side of his young boss, usually you don't know how you will die until the last moment.
If I were him now, I would also think I had a sure win.
It is really a blessing not to have to face the boss in court.
Thinking wildly, Portram said, "Boss, do you really want me to continue?"
Lu Ming smiled and said, "Well, go ahead. You're speaking all Western dialect, and I can't speak it well."
Porterlem was very grateful in his heart, knowing that his boss was giving him a chance. Otherwise, how difficult would it be to prepare a translation for the court? Zhongzhou was also an official language and could be used in court. Not to mention, Hanzhou was a state where Zhongzhou people made up the majority.
Lu Ming was thinking that it seemed that he had to put his Western language learning on the agenda as soon as possible. After all, a portable translator was not as convenient as being able to listen and speak by himself.
He looked at Han Mary again. Now it seems that although she does not have the qualifications of his apprentices, she may still become a qualified or even excellent lawyer. She showed a little edge when she took the initiative to deal with Hansis just now. She is also smart and knows that she will not read the so-called settlement agreement, but it is against the rules if no one on her side reads it. She is just a little assistant, just in time to get rid of Hansis.
I am still a student, so I am still adaptable.
"Mary, well done." Lu Ming nodded to her.
Hanmari was stunned, and then she felt a huge joy filling her heart. She had never dreamed that she would be praised by someone who only acknowledged her politely. She would be so flattered and excited that she wanted to sing at that moment. She felt as if her body was light as if she was drunk.
…
The trial soon continued.
Portram stood up and again asked that Frau Han Hiddink be summoned.
Without waiting for Hansis to object, Portram said, "Your Honor, we have doubts about the legal effect of the "Law of Lord Bron" when it was promulgated, and we hope to get an answer from Ms. Hiddink."
This is another new point. Judge Han John pondered for a moment and nodded: “I hope you don’t waste our time.”
A few minutes later, Han Hiddink took the witness stand again.
Portram walked up to her and said with a smile: "Ms. Hiddink, have you heard of the Oriole Movement?"
Everyone in the courtroom, including the audience, was stunned, and the atmosphere became a little weird. The jurors in the jury seats, who were originally drowsy, were now perked up and looked at Potram in surprise.
The Yellow Oriole Movement was the independence movement of the Bruneians.
Han Hiddink hesitated for a moment and nodded slightly: "I've heard of it."
Portram stared at her. In fact, this lady had not only heard of it, but she herself was a backbone member of the Yellow Oriole Movement in the northwest of Brun.
Portram continued, "We all know that the Yellow Oriole Movement is a movement that demands the establishment of an independent country based on the Duke of Hamblon's territory. At the very least, the movement hopes to gain autonomy for the Bloom region, just like the Duke's territory back then!"
In fact, Hamblon was just an earl, but he bribed the religious leaders of Hanzhou at that time and was crowned as the Grand Duke.
It was a very chaotic era. Religious rights were once very important, but with the brutal suppression of imperial power, by now there is no religion in the empire that can be recognized by the majority of people.
Today's Yellow Oriole movement regards Count Hambron as a pioneer of the independence movement.
Count Hambrown spent his entire life striving to become a duke recognized by the great emperor of the empire, but he died young and his death was unclear. It was generally rumored that he was assassinated by someone from the imperial capital.
Of course, there are also many rumors and unofficial history that say that the Duke of Hanzhou assassinated him.
This is also a national shame in the hearts of many Brun people.
Now that Portram called Hamblen "Duke", his impression of him suddenly improved from the gallery to the jury box.
Although this guy is from another place, he looks much more pleasing to the eye.
Over there, Portram looked at Han Hiddink and continued, "The territory map on the Oriole Territory Flag does not include most of the western part of Ques Town, including the Triangle Pass area we mentioned in court, right?"
Han Hiddink nodded with a sullen look on his face.
Hansis stood up and said, "Your Honor, this case has nothing to do with the independence movement. Although the territory claimed by Huangying Territory does not include the Triangle Col area, that is another issue. If our Huangying Territory is recognized by the Federal Empire in the future, the Triangle Col area can be regarded as a territorial dispute between Huangying Territory and Hanzhou Territory! It does not mean that this court has no jurisdiction over the Triangle Col area." He suddenly realized that the other party was actually trying to manipulate politics.
These foreigners are really despicable and shameless, whether they are Westerners or Central Asians.
Portram smiled and said, "Plaintiff's lawyer, you have already said something out of turn. This court certainly has jurisdiction over the Triangle Pass area. Otherwise, why would we be standing here arguing? However, if this court ultimately rules that we lose the case, it will represent the Bron Court and acknowledge that the Bron Lords Law was once legally binding in history."
"As for the 'Law of Lords of Brun', the largest lords were Central Continent nobles from Hanzhou. In this law, the lands of the children of Duke Han Brun were all taken away, and the so-called Huangying Territory no longer existed. In this law, the lands around Brun undoubtedly belonged to the Duke of Hanzhou at that time, and were further divided into the territories of several earls, so the geographical concept of Huangying Territory no longer existed."
Portram looked at the jury and said, "So, the Yellow Oriole Independence Movement completely violated the Federal Security Act. You will personally judge how absurd the Yellow Oriole Movement is. Based on this precedent, the Hanzhou Parliament may pass a bill. Not to mention the power to hold a referendum, any related proposals by the Bloom Parliament will be illegal and will not have a chance to be voted on in Parliament. I think the members of the Hanzhou Parliament have been waiting for such an opportunity for a long time, and you will personally provide them with the most powerful weapon."
There was a sudden silence in and out of the court.
After a while, Portram said, "Of course, it would be sad if our civil courts had to involve political tendencies."
"When we look back at this case, the focus should not be on the Law of Lord Bron."
Portram returned to his seat, picked up the water cup on the table, took a sip of water, and continued, "In fact, according to the case of the Ninth Circuit Court of the East China Sea regarding the Pearl Islands, we established a legal principle called adverse possession. Later, legal professionals such as Mr. Lu Qianxing, a lawyer from the East China Sea, and Justice Christine of the East China High Court published articles on this principle in legal journals, reflecting on and improving the legal thought of adverse possession, and gradually formed what we call Luism in the legal community."
"In this case, the barren land has been uncultivated for more than a hundred years, which in itself is a serious waste of social resources."
"Lawyer Fan Dexi in Lu's doctrine mentioned that if such barren land is reclaimed after a certain period of time, it will be occupied by the reclaimer. The period of time for the definition of abandoned land can be set at 20 to 30 years."
"Lawyer Lu Qianxing proposed that wasteland should be taxed, and if the owner refuses to pay, he will automatically lose his ownership."
"etc."
"In short, our elite decision-makers in the legal community have proposed a variety of discussions on this issue. In essence, it is a call for social fairness and a restriction on the rich from wasting social resources. In a deeper sense, it is like a rich man throwing a piece of bread and a poor man who is about to starve to death picks it up and eats it. The nature is the same."
Botlite looked at the judge's seat and the jury's seat, "So, the verdict in this case may create a milestone-like demonstration significance. The Bloom Court and the jurors will make a great contribution to the historical process of creating a fair society. Your Honor and jurors, the future depends on your thoughts!" They bowed slightly and turned to the defendant's seat.
In my heart, I secretly admired that my boss did not even bother to use political correctness to win the lawsuit. He raised the paradox of political correctness, which only shackled the nationalist fanaticism and xenophobia of the people of Bron, from judges to jurors, forcing them to calmly think about the possibility of another direction for this case.
Just one class and there is no doubt that the situation will be reversed.
Just look at Hansis in the plaintiff's seat, with a pale face.