Pressing the Charge, Charging the Press: NSLO (OPEN, OOC)

[The New World Oceania]

We are still in need of three jurors, Adrian Wyllie (plaintiff), and Dean Ridings (defendant, Florida Press Association President). Additionally, any other characters are welcomed, including journalists, potential witnesses, relatives of those involved, Rick Scott and Charlie Crist (other candidates), or other FPA lawyers.

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The Florida Times Union

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Adrian Wyllie to sue Florida Press Association

Libertarian Candidate Excluded from Gubernatorial Debates

Adrian Wyllie, Libertarian Candidate for Florida Governor, is preparing litigation against the Florida Press Association after being excluded from their televised debates this October. The third-party candidate started campaigning early this year but, polling only at 13% according to a recent 0ptimus study, will rely on these televised debates as his best opportunity to garner the public's attention.

"For too long, the Republican-Democrat duopoly has controlled the conversation, and they have used their power to silence the competition,” Wyllie said. “Their attempts to exclude me from the debates is just another example." His campaign has employed Attorney John W. Perth, who worked on a similar case in 2006, describing him as "devoted to the cause of having the undeniable third option heard on the debate stage."

Dean Ridings, President of the Florida Press Association, is not optimistic for Wyllie's case. "If [Wyllie] had reached 12%," he said of an earlier function, when the candidate was gauged at 8% by a Quinipacc University Poll, "he would have been included in these debates... We don't set arbitrary criteria."

In 2006, Reform Party candidate for Florida Governor Max Linn faced the same trial as Wyllie's campaign does this election. With 8.7% support in the election — which Charlie Christ, current Democratic Party candidate won — Linn was excluded from a WFLA-TV debate and retaliated with a suit against the Florida Public Broadcasting Service, based on a 1998 Supreme Court ruling that Public Television-sponsored debates could not exclude candidates with legitimate campaigns. Linn's case was won, but an appeal overturned his participation in one of two televised debates.

Esq. Perth suggests the pleadings for Wyllie's case will be filed within the week.

The Florida Press Association's legal representatives declined comment.

This roleplay will be played in two stages: first, the pre-trial events. That is, the attorneys and main characters (Ridings and Wyllie) dealing with their own business, followed by their pre-trial conferences. Since this stage involves paperwork, it is notable that the important paperwork (pleadings, essentially), will be integral to the roleplay later on and will thus be posted.

The second part of this roleplay is, of course, the trial. It will follow basic American civil procedure. This is, after all, part of the NS Law and Order RP Group. I don't know if it would have been fair to expect something other than a legal roleplay.

The characters open in the roleplay are:

• Adrian Wyllie (Libertarian Candidate)
• Dean Ridings (FPA President)
• Plaintiff's Attorney — John W. Peth: Themiclesia
• FPA lawyers and legal team
  —Victor Martinez Krause, lead defense attorney: Tribea
• Judge — Tore Valen: The Valen Empire
• Jurors
  —Norman Price: Yitzchak Winternitz
  —Jean-Louise Webb: The New World Oceania
  —(three more needed)
• Witnesses, other candidates, journalists, relatives, etc.
  —Ad Hoc Witness #1: The New World Oceania

Rules are as most roleplays, prohibition of spam, meta gaming, and other inanities. If, during the course of the roleplay, you have any questions about law or the legal process you can feel free to ask about them in this OOC thread or the NSLO thread.

Application is below. Tentative IC date is October 12th, dependent on various factors slightly more arbitrary than the requirements to join the debate.

Code: Select all

[b]Application[/b]
[i]Character Name:[/i]
[i]Character Significance/Occupation:[/i]
[i](optional) Character Bio:[/i]
[i]Roleplaying Examples:[/i]
[i]Are you a member of the NS Law and Order RP Group?[/i]

A NationStates Law and Order/Mock Trial Roleplay.

[The Valen Empire]

Name: Judge Tore Valen
Occupation: Judge
Character Bio: Born in east Chechnya, has a history of distrust of corporate entities and has been convicted of spiteful rulings against corporate entities in favor of accusing party in a class-action lawsuit nearly a decade ago. He was elected back into judicial positions a year later and made judge another 6 months after. Despite his anti-corporate stance, he has a disdain for a strict interpretation of the First Amendment with a poor history for free speech rulings.
Role playing Example:
Tore smiled as he adjusted his red tie. Court was to start in an hour and he had only that long to himself. He had read the court papers a hundred times over. Both sides were annoying to him. He ran on an anti-corporate platform, always chuckling to himself at his own corruption, so any chance to make a company lose money was enjoyable and in line with his values. Meanwhile though, he didn't really think the small and irrelevant candidate deserved the time as much as he claimed he did. he wondered to himself why a small 3rd party should be required to be given air time. Afterall, a member of the Communist Party with equal support wouldn't even be considered. Tore chuckled and put on his gown, moving to read over the file again as he called his husband.
Are you a member of the NS Law and Order RP group? Yes

[Yitzchak Winternitz]

Application
Character Name: Norman Price
Character Significance/Occupation: Juror/Unemployed
(optional) Character Bio:
Roleplaying Examples:
Are you a member of the NS Law and Order RO Group? Yes

[Tribea]

Application
Character Name: Victor Martinez Krause
Character Significance/Occupation: FPA Attorney
(optional) Character Bio:
Roleplaying Examples: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=275504
Are you a member of the NS Law and Order RP Group? Yes

[The New World Oceania]

All accepted, and OP updated with roles.
Also, remember that the position of a journalist is also viable for application. This role would not merely include writing articles, but also making your way around to interview others and get information not yet available to the public.

[Themiclesia]

Application
Character Name: John W. Peth
Character Significance/Occupation: Plaintiff's attorney
(optional) Character Bio: [I'll fill this one in if it's needed.]
Roleplaying Examples: Found on the NS Law and Order RP Group.
Are you a member of the NS Law and Order RP Group? Yes.

[The New World Oceania]

Above is accepted. I'll be joining in the case, also, as a juror and as a witness if one is needed.

Application
Character Name: Jean-Louise Webb
Character Significance/Occupation: Juror, Television Broadcasting Specialist
Roleplaying Examples: NSG Senate, I.C.O.N.
Are you a member of the NS Law and Order RP Group? I am.

[The New World Oceania]

We are still in need of three jurors, Adrian Wyllie (plaintiff), and Dean Ridings (defendant, FPA President). Additionally, any other characters are welcomed, including other FPA lawyers journalists, potential witnesses, relatives of those involved, and Rick Scott and Charlie Crist (other candidates).

[The New World Oceania]

Any interest still going in this?