I'm about to get Tribunal'ed, need legal defense

[BoXer]

@BoXer

Whilst I concur with just about all that my esteemed sodales have said above, I would add the following...

Tribunal hearings, just like the chrages that such tribunals are called to adjudicate, are always political affairs, though only sometimes strictly legal ones. for this reason, regardless of the legitimacy of the claims which may be brought against you, I strongly suggest your character retain the services of a reputable Guernicus advocate as well as possibly those of a Trianomae Bonisagus. (Think of the Trianomae as your solicitor and the Guernicus as your Barrister, in the parlance of good ol British jurisprudence).

Next, and concurrently I would say, have him send letters to the domus magniae(pl, latin?) of Houses Jerbiton, Tytalus and Verditius outlining what you have said above and suggesting to each that the repercussions of a successfuly political contrivance against you may mean the following to each House:

1. To Jerbiton, that dealings with and through mundanes will be all the more be subject to political threat by reason of the precedent for the overly-flexible application of the peripheral code this will establish in Hermetic case law.

2. To Tytalus, remind them that this challenge reinforces the position of the draconian authoritarian element within the Order to the detriment of those who would desire to maintain the status quo of "a community of voluntary association" amongst magi and who would further wish to discourage any precedent which might allow the authoritarian element greater intrusionary powers into the private affairs of individual magi for purely political reasons.

3. To Verditius, that the circumstantial elements of the case revolve around the application of well established regulations on the sale and use of enchanted devices, established by the Verditus Primus in accord with House Guernicus through longstanding Order-wide custom. That as such, the plaintiffs in this case are in principle if not in substance, seeking to undermine House Verditius' authority to oversee its own practices and products.

Playing these political cards will relieve you of some degree of personal necessity to bribe others within the tribunal to your cause as it will highlight selective repercussions bearing upon the existing causes important to each of these Houses and their members. This will undoubtedly provide more than a few of the most influential from each of these Houses within your tribunal with the impetus to enlist their own political allies to your cause either directly or indirectly, either way they should (if matters ARE as you have clearly stated them) wish to see these charges defeated or dismissed and the antagonist(s) dealt with harshly.

Thats how I would play it anyways

Hope it helps

@ShopKeepJon

Assuming that things are as you described...
Assuming that charges are actually going to be leveled against you despite the lack of overt criminal action...
Assuming that the charges will not be dismissed during the preliminary proceedings of the Tribunal before going to the full Tribunal for a vote...

Several things become obvious.

1. Your character has a powerful enemy or enemies.
2. Your character is generally disliked in the Tribunal.
3. You need help and no one is going to give it to you without some appeal to self-interest.

I'd go with what I quoted above. It seems your best hope...

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Just out of curiosity, what did you do to get yourself into this mess?

I think Jade's original post describes what he did (albeit nothing of any true affront to either the Code or the peripheral code) to get himself into this mess (or more rightly to inspire others to put him in this mess.

@JadeFox

The problem is, my character has only a rank of Charm and no Guile to speak of. I'm worried that no matter how eloquent my argument, the storyguide may just say. "Make a Charm roll....well, with that total, it looks like you just punched out the judge's mother. He's going for the death penalty."

Hyperbole, obviously, but you see my concern. Is there any way I can negate this?

Yes, by following my roleplay advice as to your character's first order of business. Write those missives and get other Houses inflamed at the strong potential this political assault on you will have upon their House self-interests.

Possibly by hiring some manner of legal expert to speak on my behalf?

Also covered in my previous response to your quandry. Those within House Guernicus who choose the role of Advocate, do so precisely because they wish to defend the weaker and poorer magi against the machinations of the stronger (individuals or groups). Their fees according to canon are reasonable and the advocate will first try to ascertain the legitimacy of the charges and then broker settlement if such be warranted in order to avoid tribunal proceedings.

In your case, you may have more to win by procuring an Advocate (who will undoubtedly have the capacity to bring in additional quesitorial investigators if required) but not agreeing to settlement (since this IS a wrongful political assault in actuality). Let it go to tribunal once you have also secured collaborative support from the other Houses.

I suggest this strongly since as you say, you DON'T have the charm or guile or intrigue to hope that you might deliver a sufficiently stirring oration at tribunal on your behalf to instantly sway opinion in your favour. Especially so, if your unknown antagonist DOES have the intrigue and oratory skills you lack.

By playing the "look at the potential fallout this could have on your interests" card with strong houses in the tribunal, you essentially pass the onus to them to ensure what must be said is said and said well enough to mitigate the threat presented to you.

Hope that clarifies it sufficiently.

Now get to it!

[ShopKeepJon]

Also, if it looks like you might actually be called upon to speak before the Tribunal, practice the following speech, "I cannot possibly add anything to what my esteemed Advocate has so clearly presented. I will not bore you with repetition. Thank you." Then sit down!

Seriously, practice it. Say it in front of a mirror until you don't look stupid saying it... Don't improvise. That's the job of your advocate...

If nothing else, this will give the other characters a good laugh if they catch you at it...

(Of course, if I were the Story Guide, I'd let you play the advocate during the Tribunal. Your mage will probably be trying to keep a low profile and you'd certainly be motivated... )

Sit vis vobiscum,

ShopKeepJon