The Federation...erm, Core Document.

[Penta]

It's been called by a bunch of different names. The Federation Charter, the Federation Constitution, the Articles of Federation.

Whatever you call it, it's the core document of the UFP, serving a Constitutional sort of role.

Has it ever been seen on-screen, or referenced in detail?

(I remember the UN Charter ripoff of Franz Joseph, but I'm thinking about something more...recent.)

 

[Sci]

It's been called by a bunch of different names. The Federation Charter, the Federation Constitution, the Articles of Federation.

Whatever you call it, it's the core document of the UFP, serving a Constitutional sort of role.

Has it ever been seen on-screen, or referenced in detail?

(I remember the UN Charter ripoff of Franz Joseph, but I'm thinking about something more...recent.)

In "The Drumhead" and "The Perfect Mate," Picard calls it the Constitution of the United Federation of Planets and they establish that it enumerates several rights called "Guarantees," much like the US Constitution's Bill of Rights. One of them is the Seventh Guarantee, which protects sentient individuals against forcible self-incrimination (like the US 5th Amendment). "The Perfect Mate" establishes that the rights enumerated in the Federation Constitution apply to anyone aboard a Federation starship.

In DS9 and VOY, it's referred to as the Charter of the United Federation of Planets. The Charter contains a provision banning the UFP government from interfering in foreign states' internal affairs ("Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges") and bans caste-based discrimination ("Accession").

The novel Articles of the Federation by Keith RA DeCandido establishes that the Federation Constitution and Federation Charter are the same document under different names, and that its proper name is the Articles of the Federation.

 

[nx1701g]

It was seen in Voyager's The Void in Season 7 on Captain Janeway's Desktop Computer. If I recall correctly it was a rewording of the UN Charter.