Is there any source material out there that cites laws and the penalty for such crimes within the Empire for Warhammer Fantasy?

Heh.. to protect our High Elf Thief, my Dwarf was put on trial and I tried to ask for a trial by combat which the travelling judge promptly refused.

I was completely asking for such a thing out of my arse, but I was willing to give it a shot.

We looked for any reference material for guidance, but none was to be found.

-ashe-

This isn't official but the way I've run trial by combat in the past is:

Generally only crimes that could result in captial punishment, exile, being stripped of titles or indefinite incarceration can be tried in this way, and only if there is not substantial evidence (being caught mid-murder, etc). Additionally only land-owning persons can request a trial by combat. Otherwise every tenement dweller in Altdorf, wandering do-gooder, etc could request trial by combat. However, once trial by combat is awarded by the judge the defendant and prosecutor may appoint anyone they wish to be their champion. This is where the Judicial Champion career came in from previous editions (Sinkarma is working on it I believe over in the House Rules section). There's a fight...someone's heart stops beating and then the trial is concluded.

Also, a judge of higher ranking could show up and scuttle the trial by combat and put it back in the court-room. Determining a higher ranking judge is really sort of a plot hammer that a GM can use, but generally: a circuit judge (the dudes that motor around the provinces stopping off at towns to settle cases) would outrank a mayor/local graf/burgomaster/roadwarden, a provincial judge (a non wanderer stationed in a court in a city) outranks a circuit judge, a quorum of lesser nobles or the elector count can outrank a provincial judge (in some cases but these guys don't like sticking their necks out for...anyone).

Then there is the ever-present caveat that "church business" (ie Witch Hunters, meddling Vereneans, etc) can toss the whole mess sideways. For instance, trial by combat isn't going to get a condemned heretic off the pyre. A Verenean priest of high standing can peacock their knowledge of the laws and their province spanning connections in higher places to cow a judge. There are many other ways that the churches can totally f---- up a trial.

Maybe the new upcoming issue of Liber Fanatica will be of any help?

I wrote an article about the Law of the Empire, that may provide assistance for you. Trial by combat DO exist in the old world and in some parts of the Empire recognized as a legal procedure. Since LF # 8 deals with the criminal aspect of life in the Empire, I didn't dwell to deeply into the Judicial Champion thing. But A Judicial Champion was an advanced career in the 1st edition of WFRP.

I also recommend using Episodes Templates: The Trial, from Gamemaster's Toolkit. But Liber Fanatica 8 contains even more fluff about running your own trials. So If you can wait a few more days you will have more resources running you own Trials.

good luck and good gaming.