Tranquility Press

Exemptions that Prove the Rule – Early Prime Directive Jurisprudence, 2259-2270

“But we aren’t at common law, are we? We’re dealing with civilizations, not who owns that cow. Edward Coke would take one look at a Tellarite and keel over dead.”

– David Trennow, JAG Starfleet, 2261-2267

While Federation law has grown over time, it has its roots in several distinct Human traditions: the Common Law of England and its colonies, the Civil Law of continental Europe, and the Statutes of Alpha III – the first colony from Terra to attempt to harmonize that world’s manifold legal traditions with precepts from Vulcan, Andorian, Tellarite, and Denobulan law. None of these traditions accounted for what would ultimately become perhaps the most wellknown cornerstone of Federation law – the Prime Directive. This article traces the Directive’s origins and exceptions. What was originally merely a Starfleet General Order caused a seismic shift in jurisprudential thought throughout the Federation.

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