Where is the Federation/Starfleet Legal Code

[xman]

The Federation Charter mentions the Tribunal of Alpha III as a standing judicial system and I'm sure there are other mentions of law throughout Star Trek, but I can't find the actual legislation written anywhere. Surely I'm not the only one nerdy enough to want to see these things. Can anyone provide sources or any more information?

 

[herofhyrule]

This except comes from a screen in VOY: "The Void":
CHARTER OF THE UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS
"We the lifeforms of the United Federation of Planets determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to reaffirm faith in the fundamental rights of sentient beings, in the dignity and worth of all lifeforms, in the equal rights of members of planetary systems large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interstellar law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of living on all worlds, and for these ends, to practice toleration and live together in peace with one another, and to unite our strength to maintain interstellar peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institutions of methods, that weapons of destruction shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ interstellar resources for the promotion…"

This is is the only canon excerpt. Any other text comes from the expanded universe. Also, the Memory Alpha article for the Tribunal of Alpha III makes no mention of the Federation Charter.

 

[Sci]

I would have fun reading Federation law and the Starfleet Uniform Code, but, well, it's not likely to appear in canon any time soon. Cop shows don't generally show us the Consolidated Laws of the State of New York, the California Codes, or the United States Code, after all.

 

[fireproof78]

Someone has to write it first.

 

[FederationHistorian]

There are a number of legal documents, with more detail on Memory Alpha.

Though you’ll have to go the Memory Beta for more information. Outside of Starfleet General Orders and Regulations, a lot of the legal code isn’t canon.

Known documents pertaining to Federation law:

• Statutes of Alpha III (Alpha III)
• Vulcan Bill of Rights (Vulcan)
• Acts of Cumberland (artificial intelligence)
• Fundamental Declaration of the Martian Colonies (Mars)
• Charter of the United Federation of Planets

Only this preamble is known...

"We the lifeforms of the United Federation of Planets determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, and to reaffirm faith in the fundamental rights of sentient beings, in the dignity and worth of all lifeforms, in the equal rights of members of planetary systems large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interstellar law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of living on all worlds, and for these ends, to practice toleration and live together in peace with one another, and to unite our strength to maintain interstellar peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institutions of methods, that weapons of destruction shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ interstellar resources for the promotion…"

• Constitution of the United Federation of Planets
• Articles of the Federation

For more on all three Federation legal documents - Charter, Constitution, and Articles (Memory Alpha treats them all as separate documents) - go here: https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Articles_of_the_Federation_(document)

• Federation Uniform Code of Justice

https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Starfleet_Code_of_Military_Justice
https://memory-beta.fandom.com/wiki/Uniform_Code_of_Starfleet_Justice

• Federation Judicial Code

The Federation Judicial Code only says this...

FEDERATION JUDICIAL CODE 21.0061
FEDERATION LEGAL CODE, ORDER 104
RE: COMMAND POSTING PRECEDENTS
Accessing
• ORDER 104, SECTION B: Starfleet order that deals with chain of command. Commodore Matt Decker quoted regulation 104-B to Spock when taking command of the Enterprise in 2267.
• ORDER 104, SECTION C: Starfleet regulation states that the Chief Medical Officer may relieve a commander of duty if he or she is mentally or physically hurt. Precedent: C. Stocker, a Starfleet officer who assumed command of Starbase 10 in 2267. Stocker was transported to the post aboard the starship Enterprise. While en route, several Enterprise personnel became ill with a radiation induced hyperaccelerated aging disease. Fearing the loss of these officers, Stocker assumed command of the Enterprise.

• Starfleet Charter

Hope this helps.

 

[Mudd]

The "Federation Charter" is wholly cribbed from the United Nations Charter, and was created by Franz Joseph. It was included in his Star Fleet Technical Manual in the mid-1970s.

 

[Timofnine]

The preamble to the Articles of the Federation summarises a little bit:

We the beings of Earth, Proxima Centauri, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar are resolved that henceforth our relations shall be those of worlds which, as sovereign equals, cooperate in friendly association to promote their common welfare and to maintain intergalactic peace and security, and are therefore desirous of concluding a union of their societies;

For we have agreed that our worlds hold these truths to be self-evident: that all species are created equal; that their citizens are endowed with certain incontrovertible rights, protected by their societies; that among these rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of those states-of-being each individual society holds in greatest esteem;

The recent conflict has proven a threat to these rights, and we have recognized that only in sharing the power of our societies can we guarantee the blessings of liberty to our posterity and ourselves,

It is that goal and those that follow that has led us to adopt these Articles of Federation to form a more perfect union, establish justice, ensure domestic and intergalactic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and promote the general welfare.

Perhaps the UN should look at adapting this?

 

[fireproof78]

Perhaps the UN should look at adapting this?

The UN Charter seems to hit the same notes:

WE THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS DETERMINED
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and

to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and

to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and

to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

AND FOR THESE ENDS
to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and

to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and

to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and

to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,

HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS.
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.