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Banishment

by The Honourable Eric de Dragonslaire

Only the Crown and the Board of Directors have the power to banish someone. The power to do this is found in Corpora and in the Laws of An Tir. The populace, branches and officers cannot prohibit someone from participating in S.C.A. activities so long as they have not been banished (absolutely banished). A person can be removed from an event if they violate the basic rules found in Corpora Article II, Section D:

Anyone may attend Society events provided he or she wears an attempt at pre-17th century dress, conforms to the provisions of the Bylaws and Corpora, complies with any other requirements (such as site fees and waivers) which may be imposed by the Society, and behaves as a lady or gentleman.

A banishment can take several different forms. These different types of banishment are referred to as level 1, level 2 and level 3 banishments because of the sub-paragraph numbering in Corpora Article VI, Section A.1.h which reads:

Banishment. Royalty may banish subjects of the realm and visitors thereto, for just and stated cause. Banishment runs from the moment of proclamation, but a notice must be published in the next available issue of the kingdom newsletter if the banishment is to remain in effect. The cause of the banishment must be explained to the banished person, but must not be published in the kingdom newsletter. Only royalty are empowered to impose banishment. The Kingdom Seneschal, Society Seneschal and Board Ombudsman must be informed as soon as possible about the cause and occasion of the banishment. There are three levels of banishment, of increasing stringency, each of which includes the sanctions and reporting provisions of the preceding ones.

1. Banishment from the royal presence requires the banished person to make every effort to stay away from the issuing royalty, and precludes attendance at court or exercise of any privileges of rank or duties of office which require interaction with the royalty for the duration of the banishment or the reign, whichever is lesser. The sentence of banishment from the royal presence may be applied for any reason the royalty deems fit, as long as the maintenance of the realm is not impaired.
2. Banishment from the realm withholds recognition of the banished person's honors and titles, and bars active participation in Society events in that realm for the duration of the banishment or the reign, whichever is lesser. Banishment from the realm specifically does not preclude attendance at events, as long as the banished person makes no effort to engage in activities subject to the jurisdiction of any officer, or otherwise disrupt the peace of the event. The Society Seneschal and the Board will automatically review banishments from the realm.
3. Absolute banishment may only be imposed when the person has endangered public health or safety, or disturbed the peace of an event in a manner which would make it reasonable for the civil authorities to be called in for assistance. Absolute banishment bars the banished person from attending events entirely. The report to the Society Seneschal and the Board must be accompanied for a request for revocation or denial of membership for that person.

Membership and the right to participate in Society events can be revoked or denied by the Board of Directors. The Bylaws Article V, Section D (3) provides that membership can be revoked for the following reasons: (1) Conviction of violation of civil or criminal law; (2) actions that endanger the Society; (3) violation of the Bylaws or Corpora of the Society; and (4) formal recommendation(s) (made pursuant to Governing & Policy Decision #10).

G&PD #10 contains some very difficult and complex ways in which a petition for revocation or denial of membership can be done. Realistically there is only one real method currently to do this: to have the Kingdom provide "documentation for absolute banishment".

Banishment is a very rare punishment and is not often utilized. Until July Coronation A.S. XXIX (C.E. 1994) An Tir had never had any banishment more severe than a level 1 (although the Board had turned down a request for absolute banishment). In order to protect the Society the cause of banishments is not made public.

I strongly encourage all participants in the S.C.A. to read the Laws of the Kingdom of An Tir and the Organizational Handbook (which contains the Articles of Incorporation, Corpora, Bylaws and Governing and Policy Decisions) so that they can know the rules under which the Society operates.