As my PCs will soon end up being the law in a sort-of frontier town, I'd like to now and then present them with court cases they have to judicate.

I am especially looking for ones with a smart outsidr-the-box solution.

One I found in a von Gulik novel concerns two brothers who both inherited half of their fathers estate. But both claim that the portion they received is worth less than half, due to changing prices of land, upkeep costs etc, so both ask the judges to give them more. The smart solution is to just give each one the others share, which both claimed was more than 50% (and possibly subtract a tax to make the 50% even).

Anyone got ideas for cases?

are they clan magistrates or emerald? different sets of case types they would see, and remember, the "correct" answer is the one that is "best for the Empire / Emperor". For example, if a powerful lord was assasinated by Kolat, but it looks like an accident... maybe its best to let it be known to be an accident, rather than exposing weakness in the empire and bolstering the Kolat.

ideas for intrigue. A samurai who is NOT known for being subtle has letters appear that incriminate him in heresy. but.. a quick examination shows them to be forgeries. A bit of investigation leads to an opposing lord, one KNOWN for his penmanship and skill, as the forger. FURTHER investigation shows that the first samurai has a son who is tops on composition as well, they faked the forgeries to make it look like the second lord was trying to frame the first.

They are Emerald Magistrates, but in a special situation in that the normal clan government has left the town and the emerald magistrates have been tasked with governing the town in the meantime. That means there are few samurai left, so most cases do not involve the good of the empire. They are more local disputes.

A peasant digs up some old treasure while clearing land for farming. The landowner claims it, but the peasant says that Daikoku gave him a vision to find the place in order to help his family, and when one looks, he was digging in an unusual place that doesnt match the original planned expansion. Throw in signs that the treasure may be cursed, haunted, or be incriminating evidence against someone of a long ago crime

Two peasants, thinking themselves very clever, buy a mule (does Rokugan have mules?) together, thinking they've really put one over on the guy who sold it. The plan is to use it to plow both of their fields, but shortly before it finishes the first, it keels over, dead. Now these two are fighting, as the peasant with the unplowed field wants the other to pay him for his half of the dead mule. Their families are getting into it, and it's all very unpleasant. The mule merchant, of course, is long gone and quite pleased to be rid of the old nag.

A rich man is dying, and his eldest son has appeared to "make amends". He has been absent since he went to war 10 years ago and was presumed dead. He claims he suffered a head injury and only recently recovered his memories. His siblings are suspicious and are contesting any claim he might press to an inheritance.

Two samurai fought a duel, which was supposed to be to first blood but ended with one dead. The victor claims that the victim committed suicide by deliberately stepping into his strike.

(I realize I don't have any solutions to these but I find when I throw this sort of thing at my players the best thing to do is let them squirm and try to come up with a solution)

A gather of different clan delegates were almost massacred nearby, need to figure out what happened (talking to / hearing witnesses) and try to carry out their duty and ensure that their clan are not dishonored by the events.

A minor clan archer was in a bad arranged marriage, to a major clan bushi. He fled post ceremony (possible mid-hook to capture him) and the major clan does not care. But His father and the bride's lord/father does. One of fathers/lords is caught embezzling wedding funds (as part of the investigation/trial) and commits seppuku.

A prominent magistrate, and former minor clan daimyo is very successful, but most of his clan wants him dead or gone. He is transferred to the court of law, and it's discovered during a seemingly casual trial, of what his clan accuses him of or shuns him for.

A relative of a magistrate in the court of law , asks to review/revert the outcome of a trial the magistrate was involved in.

Some trial outcomes affects the trade in the village/province, and the magistrates are accused in their own court, once the taxation collectors arrive. The collectors can be held against their will, as prominent village leaders / distends prosecute them.

The steed of a visiting Unicorn is pestered by a child and lashes out, killing the child with a kick. The villagers beg the magistrates to put the horse on trial, as it is not a samurai and does not have the right of life and death over peasants.

(There are numerous historical examples of people putttng animals on trial , so I bet the villagers can cite precedent!)