MAGE TOWER, PAXLAIR CITY - PaxLair Statehood, August 4, 2007

The highly controversial PaxLair Statehood Hearing of Law has gathered the attention of many people throughout the Realm.  Not only are citizens of the Statehood attending, but the Hearing has the special interest of the Council of Mages, Council of Sin, and Verity Syndicate.

This is a hearing of a PaxOku Decree being questioned as to its lawfulness under PaxLair Statehood Law.  This is not a trial of guilt or criminal act.  Mayor Gareth of PaxOku issued a decree through his Sheriff CaT on July 10, 2007, to ban all paladins from PaxOku.  Mayor Nanoc of Dragons Watch brought the PaxOku Decree into lawful question to Governor Winfield on the basis that is allegedly violates the PaxLair Statehood Neutrality Law.

Governor Winfield held two one-hour hearings thus far on July 23 and August 1 with an expected final third hearing to be held on August 6 starting at 9 PM ET with assembly at 8:30 PM ET.  The hearings are held at the Mage Tower in PaxLair City, the capital building of the PaxLair Statehood.

The PaxOku Decree Banning Paladins is as follows:

I, Gareth Lightenburg, Mayor of PaxOku, on July 10, 2007, do hereby Decree that For the security of the city of PaxOku and its citizens, all Paladins are to be removed and kept out of PaxOku City until such time as the government of PaxOku can identify the threat to the water supply and secure it in PaxOku city.

The PaxLair Statehood Law of Neutrality is as follows:

PaxLair is a Community of Neutrality. People or groups coming to PaxLair in the spirit of Neutrality will not be attacked, stolen from or banned unless they violate PaxLair's laws, are considered untrustworthy, or have been declared criminals of the Community.

Governor Winfield allowed free testimony to be given at the first two hearings, starting each time with Mayors Gareth and Nanoc, and then from the audience.  Governor Winfield stated the next hearing "must focus on the issues leading to the Decree. Not things after the decree."

Winfield said he is most interested in hearing testimony about what led up to the PaxOku Decree, most specifically the "succinct reasoning and evidence leading to such an abruptly mandated Decree against Paladins. If all the testimony is a vision from a Seer, and a Luna Lance, then I can deal with that. I can attempt a ruling based on that reasoning. If there is potential the Book of Wrong had influence here, I would like to know that before I make a ruling."  It is expected the Governor will do most of the questioning in the final hearing on August 6.

Hearing #1, July 25, 2007

Mayor Gareth testifies a Seer in PaxOku had a vision that a Paladin would poison the PaxOku water supply, that the water source in PaxOku was in fact found corrupted, a Luna Lance was found at the well, and someone was seen running out of the area.

Hearing #2, August 1, 2007

Mayor Nanoc calls expert witnesses forward.
Walt the Chemist testifies he conducted a water quality test on the PaxOku water supply and found it to be reasonably pure.
Anne Vil testifies she examined two Luna lances and found one to be a "fake". However the Luna Lance found in PaxOku on July 10th has not been recovered.

Governor Winfield also stated in various interviews the PaxLair Statehood "Exclusion by Distrust Law" is not a factor in this hearing.  Only the Governor may enact or revoke this law upon a person or group and no such request has reached his desk.  This law is only used in extremely rare situations, being used only once in the three years since it was written into law by then Mayor Minsk of PaxLair.  This law says:

Paxlair is a Community. Known persons or groups that are a dividing force in the furtherance of the community may be declared untrustworthy by the Governor. Persons or groups that are not trustworthy will not be permitted to access buildings, message centers, or various PaxLair services as deemed necessary. Distrusted status may only be removed by the Governor. Distrusted parties are not protected by the Neutrality Law.

The Governor's Office has issued the following for public release:

- Condensed Testimony at Hearings #1 and #2

- Raw Transcript of Hearing #1 (July 25, 2007)

- Raw Transcript of Hearing #2 (August 1, 2007)

Discussion about the Hearing of Law has been held on the UO Stratics Chesapeake Forum. 

Dragons Watch, PaxLair City, and PaxOku are three cities within the PaxLair Statehood.