Any young witch or wizard who attempted to perform spells at home before the age of 17 would be in violation of the Proper Restriction of Miners` Magic Decree (1875). The intent of this law was probably twofold: to keep potentially dangerous or dangerous magic out of inexperienced hands before proper training (overseen by a forensic spell that automatically extinguished when the young witch or wizard reached the age of 17), and also to prevent Muggles from coming into contact with magic, according to the International Statute of Secrecy (1692). [1] In both jurisdictions, crimes against the person laws have become the most severe. The most obvious examples are murder or aggravated assault laws. A wizard could expect the harshest punishments for the darkest magic – unforgivable curses. [1] The International Statute of Sorcerer`s Secrecy was a law about witches introduced in 1689 and enacted in 1692 to hide the existence of witches and wizards from Muggles who persecuted them. This law was probably a direct result of the Salem witch trials of 1692-93 at the colony of Massachusetts in North America. 1692 was also the same year that the Magical Congress of the United States (MACUSA) was founded for the main purpose of driving out the timidity that witches and wizards handed over to Puritan judges. [1] Minor offenses were punishable by fines – for example, when Arthur Weasley was punished for “bewitching a muggled car” with 50 galleons.
Prison sentences were also imposed, but it was probably obvious that Muggle prisons were not suited to the restraint of wizards – as shown by the mischievous witch Lisette de Lapin, who escaped from a Parisian cell in 1422, much to the frustration of her potential tormentors. Azkaban was a maximum security prison (which even moved the pasty Rubeus Hagrid to tears), especially when patrolled by the Soulsucking Dementors. [1] The experiments seemed short and concise. The accused could present witnesses to be questioned by the Wizengamot. A third party with legal knowledge could speak on behalf of a defendant and play a role similar to that of a modern lawyer. However, there did not seem to be any wizard lawyers, and the practice of having a speaker on behalf of an accused seemed rare. The Decree on the Proper Restriction of Witchcraft of Minors was written in 1875 by the Ministry of Magic. [7] This law prohibited the use of magic by minors outside of school and was enforced by the Office of Inappropriate Use of Magic. Warnings were issued for violation of paragraph C, who knowingly, intentionally and with full knowledge of illegality, performed magic in an area inhabited by Muggles and in the presence of a Muggle.
Curiously, a witch or wizard tried in Wizengamot could appoint a third party to represent them, but there seemed to be no Muggle lawyers, only a panel that voted by simple majority (as seen when Ludo Bagman was acquitted by the court because of his status as a popular Quidditch hero). Perhaps law was not considered a particularly desirable career choice, as Hermione Granger bitterly pointed out when Rufus Scrimgeour asked her if she wanted to pursue a career in magical law. [1] The Werewolf Code of Conduct of 1637 was intended to provide werewolves with a framework for safe and legal coexistence in the wizarding world. Werewolves had to sign a copy of the code and promise not to attack and bite non-werewolves. They should also lock themselves up during their wolf transformation periods. [1] The Justified Forfeiture Decree was a magical law that allowed the Ministry of Magic to confiscate the contents of a will if it was suspected that it was an illegal object. The ministry was able to retain the assets for 31 days for investigation. The Code of the Use of Wands was a law in the wizarding world that regulated the use of wands. Article three of the Wand Code states that “no non-human creature shall carry or use a magic wand.” Its predecessor was probably the Magic Wand Ban of 1631, which also prohibited the possession of wands by non-human magical beings. [6] Young wizards were also exempt from this rule because they had little control over the magic that came out of it, and they did not have a wand. His magic was rarely dangerous to others and usually accidental, such as when Harry flew to the roof of the school while being chased by Dudley`s gang, or grew his hair after Petunia cut it.
Even when Harry made the pot disappear in the reptile house and released the boa constrictor, it was not counted against him. [8] There were many pre-existing laws in the wizarding world, ranging from relatively important to the most important.
