§1.3 - Legislative Supremacy and Enforceability Clause

(a) All laws, statutes, edicts, and proclamations duly ratified by the Council of Rivermarch shall possess the highest binding legal authority within the sovereign jurisdiction of Rivermarch.

(b) Any conflicting ordinance, customary practice, foreign directive, extraplanar doctrine, or subordinate decree shall be deemed null, void, and unenforceable to the extent of its conflict with Council law.

(c) No magistrate, warden, priesthood, guild, tribunal, or non-governmental entity shall alter, suspend, or annul any clause of this Codex except as expressly provided under Title XI.

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§1.3.2 - Legal Hierarchy

(a) The order of binding precedence for legal instruments within Rivermarch shall be as follows:

• (i) The Codex of Lawful Governance of Rivermarch (hereinafter “the Codex”);

• (ii) Ratified Amendments to the Codex under §11.1;

• (iii) Proclamations, Decrees, and Resolutions issued by unanimous Council vote;

• (iv) Emergency Edicts pursuant to §11.2;

• (v) Magisterial Rulings of Binding Interpretation;

• (vi) Local Ordinances duly registered and not in conflict with (i) through (v);

• (vii) Customary Practice, if and only if recognized by tribunal and not contravened by written law.

(b) In the event of ambiguity, contradiction, or interpretive dispute, priority shall be granted in accordance with the hierarchy enumerated in §1.3.2(a).

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§1.3.3 - Binding Enforcement

(a) All provisions of the Codex shall be enforced by duly authorized Peacekeeping Forces, including but not limited to the Warden, Volunteer Guard, Initiates of Steel, and provisional auxiliaries.

(b) Enforcement personnel shall be empowered to compel compliance, conduct arrests, seize contraband, issue citations, and employ reasonable force as defined under Title IV.

(c) Willful refusal to comply with lawful directives issued under this Codex shall constitute Obstruction of Authority and shall be punishable under §4.1.3.

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§1.3.4 - Invalidity and Severability

(a) Should any section, clause, phrase, or provision of the Codex be adjudged unlawful, void, or unenforceable by competent tribunal, such determination shall not impair the validity of the remaining sections, which shall remain in full force and effect.

(b) The Council shall, upon notification of such adjudication, convene within ten (10) days to determine whether replacement legislation, clarification, or amendment is warranted.

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§1.3.5 - Legal Effectuation

(a) This Codex shall be deemed operative and binding upon:

• (i) All citizens, residents, guests, summoned entities, spiritual personages, and extraplanar visitors present within Rivermarch;

• (ii) All officers, emissaries, and contractors acting under Rivermarch authority;

• (iii) All lands, structures, and magical instruments governed, guarded, or influenced by Rivermarch.

(b) The legal effect of the Codex shall be presumed known by all parties subject to its jurisdiction. Ignorance of the law shall not constitute a defense.