Changes to the Law

Over the last several years, a number of challenges to laws have been brought to the Supreme Court. The decisions have overturned previous rulings and established precedents which will the source of argumentation for years to come.

Miller v. Mississippi

A series of violent murders occurred in the town of Biloxi, Mississippi. After a series of investigations, the suspect, a vampire of Belle Morte's bloodline, was found responsible. In accordance with federal and state law at the time, a Writ of Execution was issued and carried out. A year later, the murders began again in the exact same manner and the heir of the late vampire, Austin Miller, brought suit for the wrongful death of an innocent man and numerous violations of the 5^th and 14^th Amendments. The Second District Court affirmed the decision of the warrant and found in favor of the state. Upon appeal to the Circuit Court, the Circuit Court found in favor of the plaintiff and ordered the state to pay restitution for the wrongful death. The state government appealed the decision and the case was heard by the Supreme Court in 2012. In 2013, the Court issued its 6-3 opinion declaring that vampire citizens could not be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law and by judicial interpretation expanded the ruling of Addison v. Clarke in doing so.

The Regional Preternatural Investigation Team Reorganization Act (Rip-It-Raw)

In 2014 Congress passed RPITRA which officially granted federal law enforcement status to RPIT, bringing them under the auspices of the Department of Justice as a division of the U.S Marshals. RPIT has broad and sweeping powers in cases involving or with suspected involvement of any sort of psychic, magical, or supernatural powers or parties. With the passage of this bill, the federal government set aside funding for RPIT to create specialized holding facilities attached to every major municipality in order to be complaint with the Miller v. Mississippi ruling. In order to better control and regulate supernatural criminals or suspected criminals, RPITRA is empowered to hire vampires and lycanthropes, as well as magicians and psychics, in order to conduct its business. Agents of RPIT have to pass grueling psychological and physical tests, and demonstrate a good understanding of the legalities surrounding supernatural citizens. Vampire executioners are brought under the auspices of RPIT and private vampire hunting has been abolished, now considered a Class Two Felony.

RPITRA also granted fairly extensive powers to RPIT Agents. All warrants issued by judges in cases regarding supernatural suspects are "no knock" and the execution of the warrant will be met with the amount of hostility required to carry it out. RPIT no longer allows agents to operate or execute warrants alone, and organizes their agents into teams of 3-5 individuals. RPIT teams are highly trained thanks to RPITRA, and heavily armed. Furthermore, all tend to be devout members of a faithful religion.

Antonidas v. Texas

A vampire named Marcellus Antonidas applied for a position with the Texas Rangers and made it through several batteries of tests before it was learned he was a vampire. His application was dismissed and Antonidas brought a lawsuit against the State of Texas for violations of the 14^th Amendment. The state court that heard the initial case found for Antonidas and ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to continue employment screening, stating that Antonidas cannot legally be denied employment on the grounds of his vampirism. On appeal, the Circuit Court found for the state, and certiorari was granted by the Supreme Court. Six months after receiving the case, the court issued its 7-2 majority ruling, which held that denying employment possibilities based on vampirism or lycanthropy was illegal. The judgment of the state court was affirmed and Antonidas is now serving as a Texas Ranger.

The Supernatural Hiring Act (SHA)

Congress passed this act after the ruling in Antonidas v. Texas, which removed barriers to supernatural creatures being employed federally, militarily, or by the respective states. The statute created a number of guidelines for supernatural creatures employed by the federal government, which boil down to the basic precept that "supernatural creatures are enjoined from using their powers to influence or control their superiors; supernatural beings are enjoined from using their powers against civilians or to exert 'unlawful sway' over any other citizen of the United States." The law barred the segregation of supernatural beings from work groups, but did authorize the military and law enforcement agencies the right to put supernatural beings in unique teams that were not incorporated with non-supernatural agents or soldiers.

Repeal of Varmint Laws

In 2015 Congress passed the Varmint Law Elimination Act (VLEA) which forced all of States in the union to repeal so called "Varmint Laws" and bounties on lycanthropes.

Colorado Supernatural Coordination Act (CSCA)

The Governor of Colorado made this bill a pet project of his during the recent upset in his state. It formally codifies in law the existence of the 'Master of the City' for vampires, and gives this position the same sort of executive power that a mayor has in their respective territories. It calls on the supernatural citizens of the state to elect leadership for their respective cities and/or territories, which the state police and local authorities can call on in order to request and receive aid in criminal investigations. Special elections are to be held which select supernatural citizens to serve as a Governor's Supernatural Advisory Committee, which helps guide policy regarding supernatural citizens in the state.

Quick Reference Legal Chart

This chart should not be considered complete or definitive, but serves as examples of prohibited behavior: