Charming

At his parent's insistence — after they discovered on Christmas Day that they had a secret grandchild — Don Juan has decided to reluctantly ask for his daughter back. The problem: Klaas Spaans does not have a high opinion of Don Juan, after having watched his sister languish as a single mother and eventually die alone, and has no intention of letting his niece go. He will be suing Don Juan to retain custody of Kaatjie on the grounds that Don Juan is an unfit parent, like Percy Bysshe Shelley before him. (...probably a little less noble than Shelley, who lost custody for wanting to raise his kids as atheists).

OUR KEY PLAYERS:
THE DEFENDANTS: Don Juan Dempsey, and Eamon Dempsey (available for play!) + their legal team (could this be you?)

THE PLAINTIFFS: Klaas Spaans and family (all available!) + their legal team (could this be you?)

Poor caught in the middle.

SUPPORTING ROLES:
Character witnesses, for or against Don Juan (<--- this could be you for sure)
Other - your ideas for how this affects you here xD

FOR YOUR EASE AND CONSIDERATION I HAVE ALSO BROUGHT THE RELEVANT WANT ADS TO YOU:

Show

Klaas Spaans MCHB| BEAUXBATONS | DUTCH AMBASSADOR / BUSINESS / HOSPITAL? Kaatjie's uncle, Klaas (born 1855) was always a lot more responsible than his only sister — while Adriana was cavorting around Europe, impulsively marrying , Klaas was moving to Britain, establishing himself in his career, and marrying a responsible British debutante. He was softened by the death of his son, Willem, in 1890, and took time off work to care for his sister at the end of her life in 1892. In early 1893, Klaas brought Kaatjie to Britain with him, came up with a vague backstory for her, and was determined to keep her away from any of the Dempseys in order to avoid a scandal (but did tell Don Juan he would care for her via letter.) Klaas was born in the Netherlands and attended Beauxbatons. I think Klaas-ambassador would be funny so he has to deal with his feelings about Dempseys at the Ministry. Klaas is predominately responsible and stoic, but soft with his children and niece — and could be keeping additional secrets of his own. Pictured is Mike Colter; alternatives to be Black.

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EAMON DEMPSEY

B.1824 | UCHB | PB: GARY COLE or ERIC BOGOSIAN (pictured)
A notable poet and cheerful eccentric, Eamon was his parents' heir. His hobbies include waxing poetic about the wilderness, going on ill-advised sailing ventures, and humouring his wife. Porphyria probably gets on fabulously with him.

COME PLAY LEGAL DRAMA W/ US

I hate how badly I want to play. DO NOT let me play.

(January 28, 2025 – 1:19 AM)Themis Lyra Wrote: [ -> ]I hate how badly I want to play. DO NOT let me play.

Counterpoint:

I have a lot of plots with you already so I am happy to take the backseat, but both Klaas and Eamon (this one I've been eying for a while) would be up my alley of character types -- so if these hats remain empty, feel free to throw me whichever you think fits best

Who actually gets to decide? The closest thing we have to a court seems to be the WG.

WHICH LEADS ME TO: 's vote is for sale if it comes to it because he DGAF about Kaatje or Don Juan. Aka if Oz throws him a bone on something...

If either side enlists Pankhurst, Waterford, & Payne as representation, could be asked by them to 'tag along' since her name is on the place and they assume she'll work for them down the road ("It's wonderful experience, lad!")

I refuse to make a new character for this on the basis that MJ already Got Me recently.

(January 31, 2025 – 6:33 PM)Aldous Crouch Wrote: [ -> ]Who actually gets to decide? The closest thing we have to a court seems to be the WG.

I mean OOC it's Beanie based on whatever she thinks is most interesting for Kaat xD

IC I've assumed there was some kind of lower court system we never see in the books? Like the US has a supreme court and that feels like Wizengamot level work to me, weighing in on Big Deal cases that would set precedent (like the half-vampire/nobility marriage qualifies there for sure), but most things go through district or circuit courts first and probably don't go higher. I just find it hard to believe Lucius is presiding over like, every breech of contract dispute in the wizarding world xD BUT I HAVE NO FIRM OPINIONS, /vague hand at JKR's inconsistent worldbuilding/, and Oz would def trade a favor for an outcome his parents like because he also doesn't care >> but likes the idea of keeping his relationship with Lestrange broadly positive through backchannel politicking.

"Smaller disciplinary hearings do not require the court's attention at all and are dealt with by a single investigator, as the original hearing was supposed to be in Amelia Bones's office, and that Dumbledore himself noted the unnatural change to press forward with a full trial on a simple case of underage magic due to Fudge's haste in law changing. " From the HP wiki on the Wizengamot.

^ This is the kind of vibe I imagine – it happens in the same rooms but you're never going to get the full Wizengamot / Chief Warlock setup in session unless it's a major major thing and the decision goes right up to the "high court", for like the equivalent of traffic violations and minor offences there's probs like one lawyer or interrogator or Ministry law enforcement there to oversee / act as the "judge" to settle the matter.

And like maybe trials are like parliament sessions in the UK where everyone (all the MPs) only shows up for the BIG votes and in lesser things you've got five people on the benches/jury/Wizengamot listening to the evidence and here taking a vote on the trial outcome??? Like everyone is always invited but no one shows up unless they want to weigh in lmao or they accidentally came in that day and had to sit through ten inconsequential hearings.

My vague headcanons, not speaking for staff here xD

Or else things just happen through lengthy mediation & letters back and forth from solicitors and are settled out of court entirely.