Magistratus

The Magistratus are the heads of the crown courts of Erestea and therefore represent the last legal instance before the monarch himself. Questioning the judgement pronounced by a Magistratus can only be done by their peers, for others it is an offence punishable by death.
The legal system of Erestea is complex and largely rely on the judgements of the governing lords of each town to make decisions and each major settlement therefore has its own methods for settling conflicts and appealing verdicts. Nevertheless, if a conflict is considered of utmost importance it will be heard by the crown court. There is a crown court in each Andalon, Hirion, and Mellren i.e. one in each of three duchies.
These courts are large operations, staffed by at least a hundred minor clerks. The court itself consists of four Lictors and one Magistratus. The Lictors act as advisor but the authority lies entirely with the Magistratus and all decisions made by them are final. When the crown court is not in session the Lictors act as judges in less important courts and conflicts and they hold a great deal of power in their own right.

Appointment

Since there are only three Magistratii in the country, being appointed as one is no mean feat, and once appointed, the position is held for life. When a Magistratus passes away the Lictors and remaining Magistratii convene in the capitol of Andalon and appoint a possible successor from within their ranks. However, this decision then has to be confirmed by the ruling monarch and it is not unheard of for the monarch to refuse to do so.

Appealing the decisions

It is possible to appeal their decisions if one can convince one of the other magistratii to oppose the decision. This is not trivial however since open questioning is not allowed, and the process is usually complex process of subterfuge and intrigue and as a natural consequence this path is only open to high ranking nobles.

Power outside the court

The fact that the Magistratii hold such unquestionable authority in the legal sphere also confers upon them a great deal of power in other circumstances since they can simply take any matter to court and decide the outcome should they choose to. This means that they are treated with a great deal of reverence and respect wherever they choose to travel and in all their business dealings. In minor towns it is customary to hold a great feast if a Magistratus arrives in order to ensure his good will towards the inhabitants in the region.