Academy of Law
Encyclopedia
The Academy of Law is a fictional place of learning appearing in the Judge Dredd
series that appears in the British comic 2000 AD
.
of Mega-City One
are trained. Training a Street Judge takes fifteen long, hard years (although exceptional cadets may graduate earlier through a fast-track programme, usually in thirteen years). Many of the entrants to the Academy of Law never make it to the streets of Mega-City One as a full Judge. Cadets are either cloned
from proven genetic stock, or are recruited into the Academy, typically at the age of five. They are then expected to learn the basics of law enforcement very quickly, and any failing during their rigorous training is likely to lead to expulsion. Only two in seven cadets graduate. On graduating cadets attain Rookie Judge status and are awarded their half eagle badge and white helmet.
Cadet judges attend regular classes on all aspects of policing and controlling a 22nd Century Megalopolis
. Both practical and mental skills are vital to their progress at the Academy, so they are subjected to continual assessment by their judge-tutors. One of the standard texts at the academy is The Comportment of a Judge - a reference guide for street judges written by Judge Dredd
, and often known as "Dredd's Comportment."
The Academy of Law is a self-contained environment for prospective judges - affording them somewhere to live, train both physically and mentally, and to be tested. However cadets do have to go outside in groups for their "Hotdog Run," a combat mission into the Cursed Earth
radiation desert. This is usually a cadet's first real test of their training in actual combat conditions.
Rookie judges must also pass a "final street test" before they can graduate. Only when they have satisfied a serving judge that they can handle themselves on the streets of Mega-City One can a rookie leave the Academy with his or her black helmet and full eagle badge.
When the Grand Hall of Justice
was destroyed during the Apocalypse War
of 2104, the Academy served as a temporary headquarters building for the Justice Department until a new Grand Hall was completed in 2105.
The Academy is sometimes referred to as, "The toughest school on earth".
and Judge Silver
, who both became chief judges
, Judge Pepper who became Griffin's deputy chief judge, and Judge Odell, who appeared in the buildup to the Necropolis story as Judge Kraken
's tutor and mentor. Both Judge Giant
s first appeared as cadets in the Academy: the younger one graduated to judge several years after he first appeared in the strip, and features in many stories as Dredd's sidekick
. Judge Beeny
originally appeared as a cadet in most of her stories. Former cadet Dolman is notable not for anything he has done yet, but for the potential development of his character in the strip's future, as he is cloned from Dredd's DNA
and effectively a member of his family.
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
series that appears in the British comic 2000 AD
2000 AD (comic)
2000 AD is a weekly British science fiction-oriented comic. As a comics anthology it serialises a number of separate stories each issue and was first published by IPC Magazines in 1977, the first issue dated 26 February. IPC then shifted the title to its Fleetway comics subsidiary which was sold...
.
Fictional history
The Academy of Law is where the JudgesJudge (2000 AD)
Judge is a title held by several significant characters in the Judge Dredd series, which appears in the British comics 2000 AD and Judge Dredd Megazine...
of Mega-City One
Mega-City One
Mega-City One is a huge fictional city-state covering much of what is now the Eastern United States in the Judge Dredd comic book series. The exact boundaries of the city depend on which artist has drawn the story...
are trained. Training a Street Judge takes fifteen long, hard years (although exceptional cadets may graduate earlier through a fast-track programme, usually in thirteen years). Many of the entrants to the Academy of Law never make it to the streets of Mega-City One as a full Judge. Cadets are either cloned
Cloning
Cloning in biology is the process of producing similar populations of genetically identical individuals that occurs in nature when organisms such as bacteria, insects or plants reproduce asexually. Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments , cells , or...
from proven genetic stock, or are recruited into the Academy, typically at the age of five. They are then expected to learn the basics of law enforcement very quickly, and any failing during their rigorous training is likely to lead to expulsion. Only two in seven cadets graduate. On graduating cadets attain Rookie Judge status and are awarded their half eagle badge and white helmet.
Cadet judges attend regular classes on all aspects of policing and controlling a 22nd Century Megalopolis
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
. Both practical and mental skills are vital to their progress at the Academy, so they are subjected to continual assessment by their judge-tutors. One of the standard texts at the academy is The Comportment of a Judge - a reference guide for street judges written by Judge Dredd
Judge Dredd
Judge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
, and often known as "Dredd's Comportment."
The Academy of Law is a self-contained environment for prospective judges - affording them somewhere to live, train both physically and mentally, and to be tested. However cadets do have to go outside in groups for their "Hotdog Run," a combat mission into the Cursed Earth
Cursed Earth
The Cursed Earth is a part of the fictional universe from the Judge Dredd series that appears in the UK comic book 2000 AD.-Background:...
radiation desert. This is usually a cadet's first real test of their training in actual combat conditions.
Rookie judges must also pass a "final street test" before they can graduate. Only when they have satisfied a serving judge that they can handle themselves on the streets of Mega-City One can a rookie leave the Academy with his or her black helmet and full eagle badge.
When the Grand Hall of Justice
Grand Hall of Justice
The Grand Hall of Justice of Mega-City One is a fictional building in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. It actually refers to three different buildings which existed at different times...
was destroyed during the Apocalypse War
Apocalypse War
The Apocalypse War is a storyline from the comic strip Judge Dredd, first published in British comic 2000 AD in 1982. A sequel to the story "Block Mania", it was written by John Wagner and Alan Grant and illustrated by Carlos Ezquerra...
of 2104, the Academy served as a temporary headquarters building for the Justice Department until a new Grand Hall was completed in 2105.
The Academy is sometimes referred to as, "The toughest school on earth".
Notable characters
Notable characters in the Judge Dredd strip who originated in the Academy are tutors Judge GriffinJudge Griffin
Chief Judge Griffin is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. He was chief judge of Mega-City One between 2101 and 2104.-Fictional character biography :...
and Judge Silver
Judge Silver
Chief Judge Thomas Silver was chief judge of the fictional city of Mega-City One in the Judge Dredd comic strip.-Fictional character biography:...
, who both became chief judges
Chief Judge of Mega-City One
Chief Judge of Mega-City One is the title of several supporting characters in the Judge Dredd comic strip published in 2000 AD. The chief judge is dictator and head of state of Mega-City One, a fictional future city of around 400 million people in 22nd-century America...
, Judge Pepper who became Griffin's deputy chief judge, and Judge Odell, who appeared in the buildup to the Necropolis story as Judge Kraken
Judge Kraken
Judge Kraken is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip featured in the long-running British comic 2000 AD. Although he only appeared in a few episodes, he was nonetheless a very important character in Tale of the Dead Man, in which he was given almost equal billing with Dredd, and in...
's tutor and mentor. Both Judge Giant
Judge Giant
Judge Giant can refer to either of two fictional characters appearing in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD. They are father and son...
s first appeared as cadets in the Academy: the younger one graduated to judge several years after he first appeared in the strip, and features in many stories as Dredd's sidekick
Sidekick
A sidekick is a close companion who is generally regarded as subordinate to the one he accompanies. Some well-known fictional sidekicks are Don Quixote's Sancho Panza, Sherlock Holmes' Doctor Watson, The Lone Ranger's Tonto, The Green Hornet's Kato and Batman's Robin.-Origins:The origin of the...
. Judge Beeny
Judge Beeny
Judge America Beeny is a fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic strip in 2000 AD and the Judge Dredd Megazine. She appeared as a cadet in most of her stories, graduating to full street judge in a story published in early 2008....
originally appeared as a cadet in most of her stories. Former cadet Dolman is notable not for anything he has done yet, but for the potential development of his character in the strip's future, as he is cloned from Dredd's DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
and effectively a member of his family.