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Title 10 — Case Processing System

No case can proceed unless these steps occur in order. Council action before Step 3 is invalid.

Article I — Three Mandatory Steps​

  1. Notification — any platform; alert only, not evidence.
  2. **Evidence Subm--- id: nap9-case-processing title: Title 10 — Case Processing System sidebar_label: Case Processing sidebar_position: 22 description: Step-by-step workflow for notifications, evidence submission, Clerk logs, and Council activation. slug: /nap9-case-processing

Title 10 — Case Processing System

NAP 9 cases follow a strict sequence.
A case does not exist until the required steps are completed in order.

Governance actions taken before Step III (Clerk Log Entry) have no legal effect.

⚖️ Definitions​

TermDefinition
NotificationAn initial alert that an incident occurred; not evidence, not a case.
Evidence SubmissionPosting of required media and descriptions to the official #evidence channel.
Clerk Log EntryThe formal creation of a case through assignment of a Case ID in #case-log.
ACTIVE CaseA case that has been logged by a Clerk and is eligible for Council action.
Correction WindowThe time allowed for fixing incomplete evidence after Clerk review.
ConsolidationCombining related incidents or submissions into one case for clarity.
Duplicate CaseA submission that references an incident already under review.
Frivolous CaseA submission deemed insubstantial, retaliatory, or made in bad faith.

Article I — Mandatory Sequential Steps​

Section I — Required Sequence​

All cases must follow these steps in order:

  1. Notification
  2. Evidence Submission
  3. Clerk Log Entry (Case becomes ACTIVE)

Section II — Invalid Premature Action​

Council deliberation, classification, or voting before Step III is invalid and must be restarted once the case is ACTIVE.

Article II — Step I: Notification​

Section I — Purpose​

Notification informs involved parties that an incident occurred and that evidence is forthcoming.
It does not create a case.

Section II — Acceptable Notification​

Acceptable content includes:

  • brief description of the incident
  • identities of involved players
  • approximate time and location
  • “evidence incoming” or similar message

Notification may occur through:

  • in-game chat
  • Discord
  • Moments
  • any communication channel

Section III — Unacceptable Notification​

Notification must not include:

  • penalty demands
  • cropped or partial images
  • accusations without forthcoming evidence
  • drama, argumentation, or commentary

Article III — Step II: Evidence Submission​

Section I — Submission Requirements​

Evidence must be submitted to NAP Discord → #evidence and must include:

  • screenshot(s) or video (Server Time visible when possible)
  • names of offender(s) and affected players
  • concise description (≤ 3 sentences)
  • diplomacy attempts, if required by statute
  • summary of loss or damage when relevant

Section II — Clerk Review & Correction Window​

If evidence is incomplete, a Clerk lists missing items.
Submitter has 6 hours to correct.

Clerks may extend the window to 12–24 hours for:

  • international time zones
  • clarity requests
  • complex or multi-party submissions

Failure to correct invalidates the case.

Article IV — Step III: Clerk Log Entry (Activation)​

Section I — Case Activation​

The first responding Clerk must:

  1. Assign a Case ID
  2. Post to #case-log with:
    • involved parties
    • reporting alliance
    • summary of evidence
    • preliminary classification (non-binding)
    • timestamp
  3. Mark the case as ACTIVE
  4. Ping the Council

Section II — No Early Council Action​

Council may not deliberate, classify, or vote until the case is ACTIVE.

Section III — Emergency Coverage​

If no Clerk responds:

  • after 2 hours → R5s may ping Clerks
  • after 4 hours → Council may call an 8-hour Temporary Clerk Vote

Temporary Clerks may:

  • create/log cases
  • open vote windows

They may not archive, manage appeals, or exercise discretionary authority unless explicitly stated in the vote.

Article V — Council Activation & Classification​

Section I — Activation Effects​

Once ACTIVE:

  • Council may investigate and deliberate
  • Clerks may open classification votes
  • Offense is categorized into Minor / Moderate / Severe / or Exceptional (per statute)

Section II — Formal Voting​

Clerks open the appropriate vote window according to the classification and procedural requirements of Title 6.

Article VI — Consolidated, Duplicate, or Frivolous Cases​

Section I — Consolidation​

Cases may be consolidated when:

  • incidents share a common event
  • evidence overlaps
  • offenders are the same
  • consolidation improves clarity and accuracy

Section II — Duplicate Cases​

A case is duplicate if:

  • it references an incident already under review
  • it contributes no new evidence
  • it confuses or disrupts the existing process

Duplicate submissions are closed and linked to the existing case.

Section III — Frivolous Submissions​

A submission is frivolous if:

  • made in bad faith
  • retaliatory
  • insubstantial or unserious
  • intended to waste Clerk/Council resources

Frivolous cases may be dismissed and may trigger warnings or escalation under Title 8.

Article VII — Case Closure & Archival​

Section I — Closure Conditions​

A case is closed when:

  • penalties are issued
  • case is dismissed
  • appeals are resolved (Title 12)

Section II — Clerk Archival Duties​

Clerks must:

  • mark the case Resolved / Dismissed / Archived
  • record timestamps
  • update offender history for escalation tracking
  • store evidence and notes in the archive system

Archived cases must remain accessible to all Full Members for review, precedent, and auditing.

Last amended by Council vote [insert date]. ission** — posted in NAP Discord → #evidence.
3. Clerk Log Entry — Clerk assigns Case ID in #case-log; case becomes ACTIVE.

Article II — Step I: Notification​

Anyone may notify via in-game chat, Discord, or Moments. Acceptable content: basic description, involved players, time/location, “evidence incoming.”

Unacceptable: penalty demands, cropped images, drama. Notification alone does not create a case.

Article III — Step II: Evidence Submission​

Submit to #evidence with:

  • screenshot(s)/video (Server Time when possible)
  • offender(s) + affected party names
  • ≤3 sentence description
  • diplomacy attempts if required
  • loss/damage summary when relevant

Correction window: 6 hours to fix missing items (Clerks may extend to 12–24h for time zones/clarity). Failure invalidates the case.

Article IV — Step III: Clerk Log Entry​

The first responding Clerk:

  1. Assigns a Case ID.
  2. Posts to #case-log with offender(s), reporting alliance, evidence summary, preliminary classification, timestamp.
  3. Marks ACTIVE and pings Council.

Council may not deliberate, classify, or vote until this step is complete. If no Clerk responds within 2 hours, R5s may ping; after 4 hours, Council may appoint an emergency temporary Clerk (8h vote).

Article V — Council Activation & Classification​

Once ACTIVE:

  • Discussion and investigation may begin.
  • Clerk opens the appropriate vote window.
  • Case is classified as Minor / Moderate / Severe (or Exceptional).

Article VI — Consolidated, Duplicate, or Frivolous Cases​

  • Consolidate when incidents share offender/event/evidence and clarity improves.
  • Duplicate if referencing an existing open case with no new evidence.
  • Frivolous if bad-faith, insubstantial, or retaliatory; may trigger warnings or escalation.

Article VII — Case Closure & Archival​

A case closes when penalties are issued, dismissed, or appeals finish. Clerks mark Resolved/Dismissed/Archived, record timestamps, update offender history for escalation tracking, and move the record to archives.***

Last amended by Council vote [not amended].