About the Tribunal
Justice through ecclesiastical arbitration
Our Mission
The Soteria Ecclesiastical Tribunal exists to enforce accountability for breach of trust. Those who hold positions of trust (governments, corporations, officials, fiduciaries, institutions) bear obligations. When they fail those obligations, we make it costly.
We apply both domestic law and international law (treaties, the ICCPR, human rights frameworks, contractual obligations) to document breaches and issue enforceable judgments.
The Tribunal makes no discrimination based on the size or power of the wrongdoer. Whether a local official abusing their position or a multinational corporation violating human rights, breach of trust has consequences.
Breach of Trust
The Tribunal addresses grievances against those who hold positions of trust and fail their obligations:
- Governments & Officials: Treaty violations, abuse of authority, failure to protect rights
- Corporations & Directors: Breach of fiduciary duty, human rights abuses, contract violations
- Institutions & Officers: Failure to honor obligations, systemic harm, negligence
- Trustees & Fiduciaries: Breach of trust, self-dealing, abandonment of duty
- Professionals: Malpractice, fraud, failure to meet professional obligations
Our framework draws from both domestic and international law:
- Domestic contract and tort law
- Fiduciary and trust law
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Bilateral and multilateral treaties
- Indigenous and historic treaties
Ecclesiastical Authority
The Tribunal operates under ecclesiastical authority, a tradition of accountability that predates and transcends modern nation-states. When governments fail to police themselves, when corporations capture their regulators, when institutional power shields wrongdoers from consequence, ecclesiastical jurisdiction provides an alternative path to justice.
Our judgments carry weight through:
- Public record: Documented wrongdoing that cannot be erased
- Lex Nigra registry: Permanent record of institutional misconduct
- Reputation impact: Investors, partners, and the public can see the record
- Commercial enforcement: Liens, asset claims, debt recovery
The GRADMEJFAR protocol
Our structured arbitration protocol ensures every case follows the same fair process:
- Grievance filed
- Response from Tribunal
- Acknowledgment window
- Default or Mediation
- Evidence submission
- Judgment rendered
- Formalization
- Application (enforcement)
- Reconciliation
D and M are alternatives: a case goes to Default when the respondent does not acknowledge it, and to Mediation when they do.
Our Principles
Impartiality
Every case is judged on its merits. Both parties receive equal opportunity to present their position.
Transparency
The process is documented at every step. Final judgments become public record.
Efficiency
Strict deadlines ensure cases move forward. Justice delayed is justice denied.
Due Process
Respondents are properly notified and given opportunity to defend themselves.
Finality
After appeals, judgments are final. Debtors cannot escape accountability.
Reconciliation
Our ultimate goal is resolution: restoring what was lost and closing the matter.
The Lex Nigra & Soteria Trust Network
The Lex Nigra (Latin: "Black Book") is an open-source, federated registry of entities who have breached trust. When a judgment is formalized, the respondent is listed according to severity:
| Tier | Classification | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Debtor | Monetary obligations, local to issuing tribunal |
| Tier 2 | Dishonored | Breach of agreements, federated across all Network members |
| Tier 3 | Blacklisted | Grave breaches, fraud: permanent, federated, requires tribunal review |
The Tribunal is a member of the Soteria Trust Network. Tier 2 and Tier 3 entries are automatically shared across all federated members, meaning a judgment issued here is visible to every organization in the network. Breach of trust follows the wrongdoer across borders and jurisdictions.
The Lex Nigra engine is free and open source: cryptographically signed entries, built-in appeals, complete audit trails, and GDPR-compliant privacy controls.
Enforcement & Network
Tribunal judgments are enforceable through our partners and the federated network:
- Soteria Trust Network: Federated sharing of Tier 2/3 entries across all member organizations worldwide
- Trustee Corp: Professional debt collection and asset recovery
- PPSA Registry: Lien registration against personal property
- Lex Nigra Members: Every organization running Lex Nigra sees your judgment
Starting a case
Read how a case works, then file your grievance.