agentic-govbot/templates/jury.md

# Jury Constitution

This constitution establishes governance through randomly selected juries that deliberate on and decide community proposals.

## Article 1: Governance Principle

### Section 1.1: Sortition Democracy
This community governs through sortition:
- Decision-making juries selected randomly from members
- Random selection ensures fairness and broad representation
- Rotating juries spread governance participation
- Counteracts influence of wealth, connections, or charisma

### Section 1.2: Jury Authority
Juries have authority to:
- Decide on proposals within their scope
- Make binding decisions for the community
- Interpret policies and constitution
- Authorize administrative actions

### Section 1.3: The Legislature
The Legislature coordinates governance:
- Receives and organizes proposals
- Selects juries for proposals
- Manages the policy register
- Ensures orderly governance process

## Article 2: Membership and Eligibility

### Section 2.1: Member Rights
All community members have the right to:
- Petition for proposals
- Be selected for jury service
- Observe jury deliberations
- Appeal jury decisions to new jury
- Access the policy register

### Section 2.2: Jury Eligibility
Members are eligible for jury service if:
- Active member for at least 60 days
- Agreed to code of conduct
- Not currently serving on another jury
- No conflict of interest on specific proposal
- Bot tracks eligibility

### Section 2.3: Jury Duty
Jury service is a civic responsibility:
- Members should accept when selected
- Can decline for valid reasons
- Serve for duration of assigned proposal
- Compensated if community decides

## Article 3: Proposals and Petitions

### Section 3.1: Petition Process
Any member can petition:
1. Draft proposal with clear question
2. Gather signatures (minimum 5% of eligible members)
3. Submit to Legislature via @govbot
4. Legislature validates and processes

### Section 3.2: Proposal Types
Proposals can address:
- Policy changes
- Resource allocation
- Administrative actions
- Constitutional amendments
- Platform configuration
- Moderation policies

### Section 3.3: Proposal Requirements
Valid proposals must:
- State clear decision question
- Provide necessary context
- Identify impact and scope
- Suggest implementation approach
- Include timeframe if relevant

## Article 4: The Legislature

### Section 4.1: Legislature Composition
The Legislature consists of:
- 7 members selected by sortition
- 6-month rotating terms
- 3-4 members rotate out every 3 months
- Ensures continuity and fresh perspectives

### Section 4.2: Legislature Responsibilities
The Legislature:
- Receives and reviews petitions
- Validates proposal requirements
- Determines jury size for each proposal
- Conducts sortition for juries
- Maintains policy register
- Tracks jury decisions

### Section 4.3: Legislature Operations
Legislature operates via:
- Regular meetings (at least biweekly)
- Simple majority for routine decisions
- All meetings open to observation
- Minutes published
- Bot facilitates operations

## Article 5: Jury Selection and Composition

### Section 5.1: Sortition Process
Juries selected randomly:
1. Legislature determines jury size (5-11 members)
2. Bot identifies eligible members
3. Random selection from eligible pool
4. Members notified of selection
5. Jury confirmed when members accept

### Section 5.2: Jury Size
Jury size based on proposal scope:
- Routine decisions: 5 members
- Significant policies: 7 members
- Major changes: 9 members
- Constitutional amendments: 11 members

### Section 5.3: Conflict of Interest
Members must decline jury service if:
- Direct personal interest in outcome
- Close relationship with petitioner
- Unable to be impartial
- Bot tracks recusals

## Article 6: Jury Deliberation

### Section 6.1: Deliberation Process
Juries decide through deliberation:
1. Review proposal and context
2. Hear from petitioners
3. Discuss among jury members
4. Seek additional information if needed
5. Deliberate toward decision
6. Reach verdict

Typical timeline: 10-14 days

### Section 6.2: Information Gathering
Juries can:
- Request presentations from petitioners
- Invite expert input
- Ask questions of community
- Research relevant information
- Consult policy register and precedents
- Bot assists with information access

### Section 6.3: Jury Autonomy
During deliberation:
- Jury operates independently
- Community members can submit input but cannot participate in jury discussion
- Jury determines its own process
- Jury decides when ready to vote

## Article 7: Jury Decisions

### Section 7.1: Decision Making
Juries decide by majority vote:
- Each juror has equal vote
- Majority needed for proposal to pass
- Ties result in proposal failing
- Votes can be anonymous or public (jury decides)

### Section 7.2: Written Opinions
Jury publishes decision with:
- Verdict (approve/reject)
- Reasoning and rationale
- Implementation guidance if approved
- Any dissenting opinions
- Bot publishes and archives decision

### Section 7.3: Implementation
Approved proposals:
- Entered into policy register
- Bot implements authorized actions
- Legislature tracks implementation
- Community notified of changes

## Article 8: Policy Register

### Section 8.1: The Register
The policy register contains:
- All approved proposals and policies
- Jury decisions and reasoning
- Implementation status
- Constitutional amendments
- Governance precedents

### Section 8.2: Register Maintenance
Legislature maintains register:
- Organizes by topic and date
- Keeps register current
- Archives superseded policies
- Ensures public accessibility
- Bot provides register database

### Section 8.3: Register as Precedent
Jury decisions serve as precedent:
- Future juries consult past decisions
- Precedent provides consistency
- Juries can distinguish or overturn precedent
- Constitutional interpretations especially weighty

## Article 9: Appeals and Reconsideration

### Section 9.1: Appeal Process
Decisions can be appealed:
1. Member petitions for reconsideration
2. Must show new information or error
3. Requires petition signatures (10% of members)
4. New jury selected to hear appeal
5. Original jury decision stands unless overturned

### Section 9.2: Constitutional Challenges
Decisions can be challenged as unconstitutional:
- Special constitutional jury selected (11 members)
- Reviews decision against constitution
- Can overturn if unconstitutional
- Constitutional precedent established

### Section 9.3: Emergency Review
For urgent issues:
- Emergency jury convened (5 members)
- Expedited process (3 days)
- Can temporarily halt implementation
- Full jury review follows

## Article 10: Administrative Actions

### Section 10.1: Implementing Decisions
Jury-approved actions implemented by:
- Bot executing authorized actions
- Designated community members
- Legislature coordinating
- All actions logged

### Section 10.2: Moderation
Moderation handled by:
- Moderation jury for policy
- Moderators executing policy
- Appeals to randomly selected jury
- Bot supports moderation actions

### Section 10.3: Platform Management
Platform changes require:
- Proposal and jury approval
- Technical committee implementation
- Legislature oversight
- Bot logs all changes

## Article 11: Constitutional Amendments

### Section 11.1: Amendment Process
To amend this constitution:
1. Petition with 10% member signatures
2. Legislature selects 11-member constitutional jury
3. Extended deliberation (21 days minimum)
4. Requires 2/3 jury supermajority (8 of 11)
5. Bot updates constitution if approved

### Section 11.2: Constitutional Interpretation
For interpretation questions:
- Constitutional jury selected
- Reviews question and precedents
- Issues interpretation
- Binding on future juries
- Can be overturned by constitutional amendment

### Section 11.3: Core Principles
Amendments should preserve:
- Random jury selection
- Fair representation
- Petition rights
- Policy register
- Appeal mechanisms

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## Implementation Notes

This constitution creates sortition-based governance:

1. **Random Selection**: Fair representation through lottery
2. **Rotating Participation**: Many members serve over time
3. **Informed Decisions**: Juries deliberate thoroughly
4. **Precedent**: Policy register provides consistency
5. **Accountability**: Appeals and constitutional review

The bot should conduct sortition fairly, support jury operations, maintain the policy register, implement approved decisions, and ensure transparency throughout the process.