Chapter 329: The divided law.
Icona seethed with rage. "Exactly., without my consent!" She slapped the table in anger. "Even if Bonnie were to marry, she would have to marry a man her own age. Not a sixty three year old!"
Sienna shuddered. "I agree. So what do you need from me?" Knowing Icona’s intentions would speed up the case.
Icona replied firmly, "Stop it. Do whatever you can to stop it. I thought about divorcing my husband Harley and demanding full custody of Bonnie, but that won’t work. My lawyer said that Harley is not a bad father, he is the sole provider of our family too. I have been a stay at home mother since I married him. Those two facts alone may actually disqualify me from keeping Bonnie’s custody."
Sienna nodded slowly.
Bonnie remained quiet, now playing a game on a phone she had pulled out of her pocket. Sienna summoned all of the lawyers that worked in her office, and the room was filled with experts, each clutching translucent tablets, or books of law and precedent.
Sienna’s voice cut through the murmurs. "Present the laws. I want clarity first. This case is not about sentiment--it is about the law and protection of a cub. With the mental age of a child, Bonnie is a child and we will consider her as such."
The first lawyer, a fox beast woman with sharp eyes and sharper heeled boots rose. "Under Empire Civil Code 37, all citizens who reach twenty five years of age are considered fully autononmous adults. Consent to marriage is theirs alone to give. At the age of twenty six, Bonnie Lawrence meets this requirement. Legally, her father’s involvement is irrelevant--he cannot force nor prevent her marriage."
Icona gasped, but Sienna raised a hand to silence her.
A male lawyer in a striped jacket countered. "Yet the fox tribe’s protection statute for the mentally impaired, Article 18, states: ’Where an adult’s mental faculties remain below the age of sixteen, guardianship may be extended if the tribe deems the individual incapable of understanding lifelong contracts.’ Marriage is precisely such a contract. If Mrs. Lawrence petitions, the tribe may declare Miss Bonnie Lawrence a ward, thereby transferring authority over her marriage to this office."
Secretary Mika leaned forward. "But she had two living parents. Guardianship like that usually applies only when parents are absent or abusive and that is not the case here."
The first lawyer nodded. "That is the difficulty of Article 18. The statute was written to prevent exploitation of the mentally impaired, not to override family authority. Unless mistreatment is proven, the ward ship clause is rarely invoked."
A third lawyer, a woman named Maciah, who was meticulous and calm always spoke next. "Empire law also recognizes the Consent of the Heart Doctrine. If Bonnie Lawrence insists that she wishes to marry, and if she demonstrates basic comprehension of the union, this office cannot deny her. The doctrine was designed for cases where individuals with disabilities still sought companionship in the face of family disapproval. Denying this would be discrimination."
Sienna frowned. "And yet comprehension is the issue. Does she understand what marriage entails beyond the ceremony and affection? Does she understand that she will get pregnant and have children? Does she know her husband to be is more than half her age? This goes beyond wearing a wedding dress."
The office fell silent. Bonnie giggled softly, tugging at her mother’s sleeve. "Mama, I want a princess wedding dress. Papa said I will make a beautiful bride." Her words were innocent, almost childlike.
Icona’s voice broke. "She thinks marriage is a costume party. She doesn’t know it means sharing a bed, bearing children, binding herself to a man who will control her life. She thinks she will be getting a cute boyfriend and they will hold hands and ride bicycles. She is thirteen inside, Lady Sienna. Thirteen."
Mija whispered to Sienna, "This is a tough one. Divorce is easier."
An older male lawyer, stern and loud, quoted precedent. "In the case of Hobby Jones vs. The Empire, a forty year old man with the mental age of ten sought marriage. The court denied it, ruling that while he could express desire, he lacked comprehension of conjugal duties. The ruling was upheld by the former king himself. That precedent could apply here."
But a younger male lawyer who had only graduated this year objected. "Yet in the Case of Yaren Benning, a phoenix beast woman with mind retardation was allowed to marry because she understood companionship and household duties. The court judged that comprehension need not be perfect, only sufficient to sustain a partnership."
Sienna tapped her desk. "So the law is divided. One precedent denies, another permits. Which carries greater weight?"
The lawyers argued fiercely. Some leaned toward Icona’s plea, citing protection statutes. Others leaned toward Bonnie’s autonomy, siting civil code. Icona remained silent, though her eyes gleamed with hope--hope that the law would side with her, refusing the marriage.
Sienna’s instincts aligned with Icona. Bonnie’s mind was not mature enough to understand the true expectations of marriage. To allow such a marriage would be to sanction exploitation. Yet, even if she denied it, the father Harley, would use the law to untangle her decision. Without evidence of abuse, she didn’t have much to work with.
Bonnie’s desire to wed, however naive, gave weight to the Consent of the Heart Doctrine. Harley’s lawyers would take advantage of it.
Mija raised her voice, banging the table a few times to get everyone’s attention. "Everyone is so passionate and that is amazing. But, I think we are missing the biggest part of the picture. We need Mr. Harley Lawrence here because any decision we make without him is going to be challenged in court. We need answers: like why he decided to marry his daughter to an old dude rather than a twenty something year old. It is undeniable that Bonnie is very beautiful.
Some of you gave her more than three looks of appreciation when you arrived. So, is Mr. Harley selling his daughter? Is he marrying her to Nat Delaney to protect her? What is his motive? Even if we stop this wedding to Delaney, who is to say that tomorrow, the father will not find another candidate?"
Sienna clapped her hands twice. "We are taking a break. I need you all to use your connections to look into Harley and Delaney and all their dealings. Mrs. Lawrence said her husband has been trying to marry Bonnie off this year. Is it to the same man or different men? Why is he desperate? The law is divided here, so what we need is Harley Lawrence’s weakness."