Laws vs Server Rules

This page covers in-game crimes — offenses handled by the server’s law system through fines, jail, and courts. Server rule violations (hacking, griefing, harassment) are handled separately by staff. See the Rules page for those.

How the Law System Works

ProsperitySMP has an in-game law system separate from staff enforcement. In-game crimes are economic and social violations that occur within the game world — theft, fraud, assault, trespassing.

  • Staff handle real rule violations: hacking, cheating, harassment, griefing.
  • The law system handles in-game crimes: theft, fraud, trespassing, assault, market violations.

Punishments for in-game crimes include fines, restitution, and jail time — not bans. A ban is reserved for real rule violations, not in-game crimes.

Fine Schedule

Fines are issued by staff acting as law enforcement, or through the court system when disputes are brought forward.

Minor Offenses

OffenseFineNotes
Minor trespassing$100Entering a protected area without permission
Public nuisance$150Disruptive builds or signs in public areas
Verbal misconduct (in-game)$250First offense; escalates on repeat
Littering / abandoned structures$100–$250Structures left in public areas after warning

Medium Offenses

OffenseFineNotes
Theft (low value, under $500)Restitution + $500Victim receives restitution
Unprovoked assault$750PvP initiated without consent outside combat zones
Property damage (minor)Restitution + $500Victim receives restitution
Repeated trespassing$500After first offense warning

Serious Offenses

OffenseFineNotes
Theft (high value, over $500)Restitution + $2,000–$5,000Victim receives restitution; may include plot eviction
Fraud or scammingRestitution × 2All proceeds returned; double fine
Major property damageRestitution + $2,000Admin-verified via CoreProtect logs
Repeated assault$3,000–$5,000Escalates per incident; may include jail
Market manipulation$5,000–$10,000Coordinated price fixing or artificial inflation

Extreme Offenses

OffensePunishmentNotes
Running an illegal operation$5,000–$10,000 + plot evictionIllegal shops, unauthorized industrial operations
Bribery of officials$10,000 + rank suspensionZero tolerance
Repeat serious offensesJail + escalating fineEscalating enforcement per incident

Fine Scaling

Fines are designed to be meaningful at all player stages. A $500 fine matters more to a new player than a late-game player. Repeat offenders face escalating fines and additional penalties beyond the base fine.

Restitution

When a crime has a victim — theft, fraud, property damage — the offender pays restitution directly to the victim equal to the value of what was taken or damaged, in addition to any fine paid to the city.

Restitution is determined by:

  • Item market value at time of offense
  • Admin shop equivalent value if market price is unclear
  • Staff discretion for property damage assessed via CoreProtect

Jail

Jail is reserved for serious or repeat offenders. Jailed players:

  • Cannot leave the jail area
  • Continue to accrue time — jail duration is set at sentencing
  • May pay a bail amount to be released early (set by staff)

Appealing a Fine

If you believe a fine was issued in error:

  1. Do not evade or ignore it — unpaid fines accrue
  2. Contact staff through the official appeal process
  3. Provide evidence if you have it (screenshots, coordinates, timestamps)
  4. Staff decisions on appeals are final

Escalating Penalties

For serious or repeat offenses, staff may apply penalties beyond a standard fine:

  • Plot eviction — removal from a rented or purchased plot for violations committed on that land
  • Job restriction — temporary suspension from job wage earning for economic crimes
  • Rank demotion — loss of civic rank or title for corruption or abuse of position
  • Permanent ban — reserved for real rule violations (hacking, griefing), not in-game crimes

Reporting a Crime

To report an in-game crime:

  • Contact staff with evidence
  • Provide the player name, what happened, when, and where
  • CoreProtect logs are used to verify property damage and theft claims
  • Staff will not act on claims without evidence