Item #: SCP-2520

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: All instances of SCP-2520-2 must be suppressed immediately after they appear. Amnestics are to be administered to the parties, clerks, and members of the affected court or organization, as well as any other involved persons. Afterwards, any motions or other procedural devices addressed to the affected court or organization that may cause it to set aside or modify the original decision in any way, or prevent its enforcement, are to be monitored for anomalous influence. Updated 13 April 2015: In order to simplify containment efforts, the content of SCP-2520-2 instances is to be enforced, insofar as it is compatible with normalcy. For instance, this can be done:

By surreptitiously modifying the original decision.

By inducing one of the parties to appeal the original decision, or move for it to be set aside, as applicable, and then inducing the court or organization to grant the appeal or motion.

By causing legislative changes to be made that have a similar effect to that of the SCP-2520-2 instance.

By inducing the parties to act according to the SCP-2520-2 instance, renouncing any rights granted by the original decision.

Description: SCP-2520 is a phenomenon whereby the decisions of courts, governments and international organizations are overturned by a non-existent appeals court or administrative tribunal, designated SCP-2520-1. SCP-2520-2 collectively designates all decisions made by SCP-2520-1.

SCP-2520-2 instances claim to decide an appeal that was purportedly lodged by one of the parties or, in rare cases, by a person, object, or concept not a party to the proceedings. Whether or not the original decision could actually be appealed appears to be of no consequence. In all known cases, SCP-2520-2 instances find for the appellant.

SCP-2520-2 instances spontaneously appear in the affected court or organization no later than two months after the original decision is notified to the parties. During the period between the original decision and the SCP-2520-2 instance, the original decision will not be enforced or made known to the general public, even in situations where that would be expected or required by law, nor will non-anomalous appeals be lodged.

SCP-2520-2 instances generally conform to the usual language, format, and structure of court or administrative decisions from the country or region where they manifest. However, procedural rules are otherwise disregarded, and deviations from precedent and substantive law are common.

SCP-2520-1 is identified by a different name in each SCP-2520-2 instance. The names usually contain the term "special", or a different term with a similar meaning. Members of SCP-2520-1 are never named in SCP-2520-2 instances. No dissenting or concurring opinions have been recorded.

SCP-2520-2 instances cause a memetic effect on all persons involved in the original cases, and additionally on all those who have any knowledge of the applicable procedural rules. Upon gaining knowledge of SCP-2520-2, such persons believe that:

SCP-2520-1 is a real court or public agency, and its decisions are binding.

The original decision could be appealed to SCP-2520-1, and an appeal was in fact lodged. Although the parties have no recollection of having interacted with SCP-2520-1 in any way, they don't find this to be concerning.

SCP-2520-2 does not break with any precedent, nor is it particularly unreasonable.

SCP-2520-2 is final, and it cannot be overturned or modified, nor can its enforcement be hindered.

Those affected may still disagree with the findings, except for the members of the original court or organization, who consistently appear to agree with the content of SCP-2520-2 in full, to the point of regretting their original decision. Notably, administering amnestics does not cause their opinion towards their original decision to change, although suggestion has proven to be effective in that regard.

Uninvolved persons that have no knowledge of the applicable procedural rules before learning about SCP-2520-2 are not affected, even if they gain such knowledge afterwards. Additionally, the memetic effect can be broken by confronting those affected with the nature of SCP-2520.

215 instances of SCP-2520-2 are known to the Foundation. Of these, 64 (~30%) pertain either to landmark cases or to cases that received significant media attention. The manner in which the original decisions are selected is unknown.

Notable instances of SCP-2520-2 (partial log):

SCP-2520-2-1

Date: 7 April 1857

Affected court or organization: Supreme Court of the United States

Name given to SCP-2520-1: Paramount Court of the United States on Certain Special Issues

Excerpt from SCP-2520-2:

That is not so, for, under this pile of absurd considerations on the interpretation of the Constitution, the powers of Congress and the jurisdiction of the court, lies the shameful and vile decision that persons of the African race can, and should, be subject to slavery.

SCP-2520-2-86

Date: 2 February 1945

Affected court or organization: People's Court (of Germany)

Name given to SCP-2520-1: People's Special Appeals Court

Excerpt from SCP-2520-2:

However, our work would be incomplete if we were to limit ourselves to merely acquitting appellant. We must now give Judge Dr. ██████ ████████ what his actions merit, for justice is only done when every man has that which he deserves.

SCP-2520-2-177

Date: 10 November 1995

Affected court or organization: Los Angeles County Superior Court

Name given to SCP-2520-1: California Special Supreme Court for the Repression of Murder

Excerpt from SCP-2520-2:

Indeed, it would be a monstrous injustice if we were to disregard the facts just because the wrong verdict was returned. And the facts clearly tell us that, on the morning of June 13, 1994, defendant did stab ██████ █████ ███████ and ██████ ████ ███████ to death.

SCP-2520-2-201

Date: 17 October 2006

Affected court or organization: IAU1 General Assembly

Name given to SCP-2520-1: IAU Ad hoc supervisory committee

Excerpt from SCP-2520-2:

In conclusion, we find that the Resolution has wrongfully deprived appellant of its historical status.

NOW, THEREFORE, we declare the Resolution to be null and void, and we further declare appellant to be a planet, with all the rights and privileges that arise from such condition.

SCP-2520-2-213

Date: 25 June 2015

Affected court or organization: Supreme Court of the United States

Name given to SCP-2520-1: Special Court of the United States on the Matter of Equality

Excerpt from SCP-2520-2:

Therefore, the right to marry cannot be abridged depending on the shape of the couple's genitals.

Finally, although we fail to see how the contents of this so-called "Fourteenth Amendment" have any bearing on this case, we have to commend Justice Kennedy on his dissenting opinion, as his heart is certainly in the right place.

Document history:

4 November 2005: Uploaded to new SCP database.

8 January 2007: Updated partial log.

13 April 2015: Updated special containment procedures, as required by SCPRB (case SCPRB-2015-5413).

3 July 2015: Updated partial log.

Footnotes

1. International Astronomical Union