The legal system is a set of rules and procedures governing the processes of the judicial branches of government. The legal system's most notable change in recent years is in the implementation of a fast-paced, inquisitive initial trial procedure for trials.
The inquisitive system[]
- Main article: Initial trial
In an inquisitive system, a judge acts as the inquisitor who determines the outcome of the trial. For this reason, the court proceedings closely resemble a debating contest, with defense attorneys regularly displaying evidence to counter the argument of the prosecutor. This is in contrast to an adversarial system, in which an objection is generally used to attack the "legality" of a piece of evidence or a question being asked of the witness. Moreover, the judge can ask any question to the defense, the accused, the prosecutors or any witness.
Punishments[]
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Those found guilty under the legal system are given varying punishments, depending on severity and intent. The fast-paced initial trials are used to determine the veracity of the charges laid against a party. Upon confirming some or all of the charges, a higher court determines the penalties to be imposed on the party. Murder in particular tends to carry the death penalty, although consideration is given to other aspects, such as premeditation and the possibility of justified self-defense.
Despite witnesses frequently lying on the stand, perjury is scarcely even brought up even when said witnesses are neither culprits nor accomplices, but lying for other reasons.
Fully known sentences[]
- Frank Sahwit – Received a finite prison sentence for killing Cindy Stone. His sentence was later extended after he served as an accomplice to Fifi Laguarde's crimes.
- Dahlia Hawthorne – Sentenced to death for her murder of Doug Swallow, and attempted murder of Diego Armando and Phoenix Wright, resulting in the former falling into coma. This sentence was carried out five years later.
- Terry Fawles – Sentenced to death for the "kidnapping" and "murder" of Dahlia Hawthorne and the theft of her father's diamond. He committed suicide five years later while on trial for the murder of Valerie Hawthorne.
- Marlon Rimes – Sentenced to a form of rehabilitation for the attempted killing of the orca Orla Shipley, which resulted in the accidental death of Jack Shipley.
- Simon Blackquill – Sentenced to death for the murder of Metis Cykes in the UR-1 Incident. His execution was scheduled to take place seven years after his verdict, but he was proven innocent shortly before it was supposed to be carried out.
- Joe Darke – Sentenced to death for the murder of six individuals, including Prosecutor Neil Marshall. This sentence was carried out less than two years later.
- Adrian Andrews – Imprisoned for obstruction of justice. She was released within six months.
- Samson Tangaroa – Imprisoned as an accomplice to the murder of Artie Frost. He was released 18 years later when the true culprit was apprehended.
- Colin Devorae – Imprisoned in Penn E. Dent Penitentiary for his alleged role in the Amano Group scandal. He escaped 10 years later, before he was murdered.
- Bodhidharma Kanis - Imprisoned for multiple counts of assassination. He escaped in April 2019.
Individuals known to have received at least a prison sentence[]
- Morgan Fey – Imprisoned for her part in the murder of Dr. Turner Grey. She was initially held in Solitary Cell 13 before being transferred to the detention center. She may also receives addtional sentence or punishment, following the revelation about her second attempt to murder her niece Maya.
- Godot – Imprisoned for the murder of Misty Fey. Wright sadly muses that "the man who saved Maya is being sent to prison by my own hand."
- Iris – Imprisoned for obstruction of justice.
- Kristoph Gavin – Imprisoned and held in Solitary Cell 13 for the murder of Shadi Smith.
- Manfred von Karma – Imprisoned for the murder of Gregory Edgeworth. He died within six months of his conviction.
- Ted Tonate – Imprisoned for the murder of Candice Arme, which resulted in the destruction of Courtroom No. 4.
- April May – Imprisoned for the illegal use of a wiretap. She may have also received an extension to this sentence for being an accomplice to the murder of Mia Fey, although her sentence may be reduced due to her committing both crimes under White's coercion.
- Aura Blackquill – Imprisoned for holding several individuals hostage at Cosmos Space Center.
- Maggey Byrde – Imprisoned for the murder of Glen Elg. She was released a month later when the verdict was overturned.
- Rocco Carcerato - Imprisoned for an unspecified offense. He claims to recognise the scream of a murder victim, implying that his offense was murder.
Known sentences outside of the US[]
- Kira – Sentenced to death for the supposed use of witchcraft and the subsequent supposed murder of Robbs and Muggs. This sentence was initially thought to have been carried out immediately, but she was secretly banished to the Eldwitch Woods instead.
- Datz Are'bal – Imprisoned in Royal Penitentiary No. 4 for his association with the Defiant Dragons. He escaped shortly afterwards, and was eventually cleared when Ga'ran was dethroned.
- Ga'ran Sigatar Khura'in – Dethroned and imprisoned for the murders of Jove Justice and Inga Karkhuul Khura'in and the attempted murder of Amara Sigatar Khura'in.
- Maya Fey – Sentenced to death in Khura'in for the murder of Tahrust Inmee, with Phoenix Wright receiving the same sentence under the Defense Culpability Act. Fey was proven innocent the following day.
The Great Ace Attorney sentences[]
- Jezaille Brett - Extradited to the British consular court in Shanghai for the murder of John Wilson. She was murdered herself the day before her scheduled departure nine months later.
- Gina Lestrade - Imprisoned for perjury in the trial of Magnus McGilded for the murder of Mason Milverton, which was exposed during her trial for the murder of Pop Windibank. She was released within six months.
- Joan Garrideb - Imprisoned for the involuntary assault of Olive Green.
- Ashley Graydon - Imprisoned for high treason, the burglary of Windibank's Pawnbrokery, and the murder of Pop Windibank. The judge also mentions that the former offence carries the death penalty.
- Nash and Ringo Skulkin - Imprisoned as accomplices to Ashley Graydon for the murder of Pop Windibank, as well as for the burglary of Windibank's Pawnbrokery and attempted murder of Herlock Sholmes. They are shown to be sharing a cell with Graydon.
- Selden - Sentenced to death for 18 counts of burglary and six counts of murder. He died of a terminal illness in Strangeways Prison, Manchester before this sentence could be carried out.
- William Shamspeare - Imprisoned in Strangeways Prison for an unknown offense, sharing a cell with Selden. He was released shortly after Selden's death, but was later imprisoned again for the murder of Duncan Ross and the attempted murder of Soseki Natsume.
- Courtney Sithe - Imprisoned for the falsification of Genshin Asogi's autopsy report, and for the murder of Odie Asman.
- Genshin Asogi - Sentenced to death as the serial killer known as The Professor. His execution was staged with assistance from Mael Stronghart, but he was killed by Seishiro Jigoku during the subsequent escape plan.
Anime-exclusive sentences[]
- Goldy Gerwitz – Imprisoned for an unknown offense. She had been released by 2004.
- Avery Richman – Sentenced to death in the US for the murder of Benjamin Cashanova. Extradited to Japan for this sentence due to his citizenship. An impromptu retrial proved him innocent a year later.