Custody, Prison & Legal Roleplay Rules
Custody and legal scenes should create roleplay for suspects, deputies, attorneys, courts, corrections staff, and witnesses without being used to hold players indefinitely or avoid consequences.
Arrest scenes
Law-enforcement characters must provide a reasonable in-character basis for detention, search, arrest, seizure, and charges. Suspects may question, refuse consent, flee, or resist within the ordinary rules, but must not use OOC arguments or technical abuse to cancel the scene.
Once restrained, a character cannot perform actions that restraints would reasonably prevent unless an escape attempt is properly roleplayed and mechanically possible.
Searches and evidence
Searches must be roleplayed and limited to areas reasonably covered by the legal authority being used. A system inventory does not automatically reveal hidden context, ownership, or intent.
Evidence should be documented honestly. Fabricating system results, changing records after a complaint, or using OOC knowledge to locate evidence is prohibited.
Processing and charges
Processing should move at a reasonable pace. Officers may investigate and question, but should not keep a cooperative player waiting unnecessarily because of OOC delays.
Charges, fines, and custody times must follow the active penal code and faction procedures. Stacking duplicate charges solely to maximize punishment is not allowed.
Attorneys and courts
A player may request legal roleplay where the system and available participants allow it. The absence of an attorney online does not automatically void an arrest or require an indefinite delay.
Court participants must separate OOC rule disputes from in-character legal arguments. A court can decide character liability; it cannot reverse staff discipline or declare a server rule invalid.
Prison conduct
Prison remains an active roleplay environment. Inmates may form relationships, conflicts, trades, and escape plans, but may not deathmatch, endlessly attack new arrivals, or exploit restricted areas.
Corrections characters must not use confinement tools, isolation, searches, or force to grief players. Discipline requires a roleplay basis and reasonable duration.
Contraband
Contraband must enter custody through supported systems or approved roleplay. Staff or faction members may not spawn, transfer, or deliberately overlook items to benefit friends or their own alternate characters.
Possessing contraband creates in-character risk; it does not authorize random violence by either inmates or staff.
Escapes
Major jail or prison escapes require substantial preparation and may require management approval depending on the location and method. A mapping gap, unlocked staff door, desync, or missing guard is not automatic permission to escape.
Escape attempts must consider barriers, surveillance, population, response, and injuries. Logging out or changing characters after leaving the facility does not end the pursuit.
Custody injuries and medical care
Injured detainees must continue injury roleplay. Officers and corrections staff should arrange reasonable medical care when a condition is serious. Medical treatment does not erase charges or create automatic release.
OOC cooperation
Both sides should communicate briefly when a technical issue prevents progress. Do not prolong a scene to punish a player OOC, and do not rush or sabotage processing merely because you dislike custody roleplay.