What laws will they have in a galactic federation?

[Mighty mouse]

The answer will I guess depend on who is charged with enforcing them.

There will be so many forms of technology that might damage other systems by accident (say EM emissions) practicality will demand vast swaths of regulations on those.

Not so sure about the moral side, non interference and so on.
As to the punishments, well perhaps technological restriction.
I wander what the legal exams are like?

[SpaceShip]

Probably similar to those in the different countries on earth but on a much bigger scale and headed up by much bigger heads (big heads?) I reckon there'll be as much trouble in the galactic federation as here on lil old earth between the different parts of the federation.

[Azathoth]

No smoking in artificial environments.

[Cloud]

mandatory birth control for teenagers which can only be removed upon getting a license to have a child

[Azathoth]

mandatory birth control for teenagers which can only be removed upon getting a license to have a child

Whoa, that's a harsh law. And they can enforce it when they pry my blaster rifle from my cold, dead hands.

[Cloud]

personally I believe we would all be better off if we had such laws, even though realistically they would impinge too much on our modern Western freedoms.

Make the contraceptive implant part of the adolescent rite of passage, like getting one's lightflyer license ; then require that a couple take parenting classes and show some kind of financial responsibility before obtaining the license and getting it removed.

But I've read several galatic societies where such things are a matter of course.

[pyan]

Originally Posted by Cloud

But I've read several galactic societies where such things are a matter of course.

Beta Colony in the Miles Vorkosigan books by L. McM. Bujold has a similar law - it's seen to be liberating, and encourages sexual experiment while stopping results that may be regretted later.

If I were writing the laws for a Galactic Federation, I would be sure to include one on the lines of:
Any Senator who claims to have only the good of the Federation at heart, shall be removed from office immediately

[steve12553]

Galactic Law I: Take responsibility for your own actions.
Galactic Law II: Do not infringe on the freedom of others.
Galactic Law III: No whining.
Penalty for violations of Rules I, II, or III: Death.
Beautiful society. Simple and direct.

[Saltheart]

• Try not to assume. If you do, make sure your assumption is stated as such.
• Do not attempt to validate your reality over the reality of other beings. They do not like it.
• Do not fly a ship to an Amish community, and abduct one of them as a prank.
• Do not attempt to involve a star as one of the apparatuses in a doomsday device.
• Do not set yourself on fire.
• Do not ask Scotty to beam you up. He's a very busy man.
• No, you do not have the force.
• A Deathstar or similar weapon is a no-no.

Failure to comply with the above terms will result in firing you. Out of a cannon. Into the sun.

[Azathoth]

Wow, y'all are pretty totalitarian. I'm glad I don't live under your thumbs...

# Do not fly a ship to an Amish community, and abduct one of them as a prank. # Do not attempt to involve a star as one of the apparatuses in a doomsday device. # Do not set yourself on fire. # Do not ask Scotty to beam you up. He's a very busy man. # No, you do not have the force. # A Deathstar or similar weapon is a no-no.

LOL.

[Parson]

A Galactic Federation would have a code of laws every bit as complex, frustrating, and unenforceable as any long lived society here on earth. They would have some that almost everyone would agree with like "Do not steal" and some that would make people scratch their heads and say "I wonder where that came from?" Laws like "No spitting on the sidewalk".

The only questionable assumption I'm making is that humans are involved and their way of thinking is more or less universal. If it is controlled by other kinds of beings --- We have no clue!