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Judge (Khura'in)
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Judge (Khura'in)
In the twenty-plus years since the DC Act went into effect, such a thing has never occurred. To be honest... I didn't want to believe it, either. But with his life on the line, the defense pointed out an inconsistency. And it is our duty to scrutinize it to the satisfaction of the law.

The unnamed judge presided over Phoenix Wright's and Apollo Justice's cases in Khura'in.

Career[]

A visiting lawyer[]

Main article: The Foreign Turnabout
Judge (Khura'in)
Defense... attorney...? Ha ha ha ha! What ever are you talking about? He doesn't need a defense attorney! [...] Of course you wouldn't be aware, being a foreigner and all...but we have no need for defense attorneys here in the Kingdom of Khura'in. We leave it all up to Her Benevolence's sacred power of Spirit Communion. Her Divination Séances determine all.

The judge oversaw the trial of tour guide Ahlbi Ur'gaid. The accused was charged with stealing the Founder's Orb and murdering security guard Paht Rohl, and the Divination Séance appeared to prove him guilty. Just as soon as he passed his judgement (a typical guilty verdict), a stranger burst into the courtroom and objected to the verdict. The stranger introduced himself as Phoenix Wright, a tourist visiting Khura'in. After a friendly greeting, the judge demanded to know why Wright forced his way to the empty defense bench and was interfering with the proceedings. Wright answered that the trial ended prematurely, and asked where Ur'gaid's defense attorney was. The judge laughed, and explained that trials in Khura'in did not need any, thanks to the infallible Insights provided by Princess Rayfa Padma Khura'in. This didn't agree with Wright, and he requested that the trial continue with him representing Ur'gaid. The judge tried to shoo the interloping lawyer away, but Chief Prosecutor Gaspen Payne, who was prosecuting the case, intervened and explained that Wright was a lawyer from Los Angeles. The chief prosecutor felt that Wright's request ought to be granted, as did an amused Rayfa. Though reluctant to risk missing the dahmalan class he and his wife had scheduled, the judge had no choice but to continue the trial.

Many abandoned procedures were reintroduced during the course of the trial, such as cross-examination and presenting evidence. The judge had difficulty following along with these long-forgotten concepts, and often tried to end the trial before Wright had the chance to put up a proper defense. But Wright was not easily silenced, and the judge wound up missing his class, much to his wife's chagrin. He prolonged the proceedings only for the chance to see the look on Wright's face when the Defense Culpability Act condemned him. Wright defied all expectations by proving that there were too many contradictions in the case, and that even Rayfa's Insights weren't enough for a verdict. The judge was forced to remove the indignant princess from the courtroom and continue the trial.

Payne decided to call a witness to the crime: the judge's own dahmalan instructor, Pees'lubn Andistan'dhin. The judge enjoyed the soothing music the head monk initially played. But when Wright proved that Andistan'dhin was lying on the stand, the instructor changed his tune to a heavy metal ballad that made the judge's ears ring. Despite the witness's attempts to turn the entire gallery against Wright, it was revealed that the judge's dahmalan teacher was the culprit behind all crimes the accused was charged with. Though more surprised than anyone, the judge changed his earlier verdict and declared Ur'gaid not guilty. It was the first case in twenty-three years since the passing of the DC Act to have a defendant and their attorney win an acquittal (at least in a murder case).

Dinner and a double murder trial[]

Main article: The Rite of Turnabout

Several weeks later, the judge and his family were invited to the home of Abbot Tahrust Inmee for the annual Feast of Blessings. He enjoyed the gingihl dishes prepared by Tahrust's wife Beh'leeb, and passed the time with conversation concerning the game of Kachu'demal. He was unable to attend the Purification Rite the following day due to work. The day after, the abbot was found dead in the Inner Sanctum's spring, and Maya Fey, an American who was visiting Khura'in for spiritual training, was arrested on suspicion of his murder.

The judge presided over Fey's subsequent trial, with Wright defending her against prosecutor Nahyuta Sahdmadhi. After it was found that Fey had no alibi and was the only one who could theoretically murder Inmee, she was found guilty, as was Wright due to the DC Act.

However, soon after this verdict, a bailiff revealed that Puhray Zeh'lot had also been found dead. Due to Fey's fingerprints being on the supposed murder weapon, she was arrested for this crime, delaying her and Wright's execution. Despite the circumstances, Wright persevered and defended Fey in this trial as well, against Sahdmadhi with the same judge presiding. This time, Wright was successful in his defense, not only proving Fey innocent of Zeh'lot's murder, but also overturning the previous verdict in the Inmee murder case, revealing that Beh'leeb had killed Zeh'lot in self-defense while the judge was with Tahrust and that he had committed suicide to prevent Beh'leeb from being convicted under Khura'in's legal system (as Beh'leeb's killing in self-defense would be impossible to prove without a lawyer). Just before acquitting Fey and Wright of both charges, the judge promised Tahrust (who was being channeled by Fey) that he would look after Beh'leeb, implying that she received no severe punishment.

Legal revolution[]

Main article: Turnabout Revolution

The judge presided over the high-profile trial of Dhurke Sahdmadhi for the murders of Inga Karkhuul Khura'in and Amara Sigatar Khura'in. He quickly found his authority usurped, as Queen Ga'ran Sigatar Khura'in prosecuted the case alongside Nahyuta Sahdmadhi, even once issuing a guilty verdict herself. American defense attorney Apollo Justice defended Dhurke against the charges and, even after learning that Dhurke had been murdered, persevered and won the case, overturning the queen's verdict by proving that Ga'ran had murdered Inga while posing as Dhurke (to frame Dhurke for the crime), in addition to proving that Amara was actually alive (having masqueraded as "Nayna"; Rayfa's servant) and "saved" by Ga'ran when Amara's residence was set on fire. In actuality, Ga'ran had caused the fire, but, although she murdered a foreigner, she had let Amara live so that she could pose as Ga'ran when she was required to channel spirits as Khura'in's new queen (since Amara was presumed dead to most of the public, which Ga'ran was unable to do). Ga'ran was dethroned and arrested as a result of the trial proving her to be a false queen with no spiritual powers, causing the DC Act to be nullified.

After the trial, Justice decided to leave his workplace of the Wright Anything Agency to set up the Justice Law Offices in Khura'in, hoping to reintroduce defense attorneys to the country's courts. The judge presided over one of Justice's trials shortly after the setting up of the Justice Law Offices, where the lawyer was against Prosecutor Sahdmadhi. However, due to him being the only defense attorney in Khura'in at the time, Justice found himself swamped with hundreds of clients, including some that the judge referred to him.

Personality[]

While he initially appeared to be just as contemptuous of defense attorneys as most of his country, and was so out of practice dealing with them it took him a few minutes to remember what cross-examination was, he soon was revealed to take his role as an impartial keeper of justice seriously. He is quite willing to endure scandal and humiliation to ensure order in the court (even forcing the princess of his country to leave the courtroom when she became too disruptive) and uncover the truth (despite how unpopular it proved to allow Wright to defend Ahlbi Ur'gaid in a normal court case, to the point where the gallery started to turn on him as well).

Although fair in court proceedings, he did initially harbor prejudice towards Wright, rarely missing an opportunity to laugh at his various misfortunes. By way of contrast he was respectful as possible to revered people such as Nahyuta, Tahrust, or members of the royal family. The sight of Amara Sigatar Khura'in becoming agitated was enough to make him hide under his bench and meekly beg for forgiveness.

Development[]

  • The term "magistry" used to address the judge is a portmanteau of "magistrate" and "majesty" meant to give him a feeling of authority.[1]
  • Compared to the judge who usually oversees Phoenix Wright's cases, this judge's beard is braided into two sections held by black beads. His robes have a red section outlined in a purple section with gold decals. He wears a black beaded necklace with a green magatama. He wears a black headdress outlined in gold, and the middle section is purple and red with a green Mitamah in the middle.
    • His design is based on Enma Dai-O, who judges souls in Japanese mythology.[2]
  • Up until about the early 2000s, all members of the Khura'inist clergy were given a specific mark of status in the form of a tattoo. The judge admits to having one on his right buttock. However, Nahyuta swiftly cuts him off before he says anything else about it.

References[]

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