Truth and Justice in the Wizard World

[Robert A. Rosenberg]

No: HPFGUIDX 67719

Early on in OotP there is a scene where we are shown what purports to 
be a typical Wizard Trial. Ignoring the fact that it seemed to be 
portrayed as a cross between a Star Chamber Hearing and a Kangaroo 
Court, the way the trial was held was odd given that it was supposed 
to be a Wizard not a Muggle Court. I refer to the use of unsupported 
testimony when there is a much simpler and reliable way of learning 
the truth.

As was shown in H. Beam Piper's Little Fuzzy Series (with Testimony 
given under Verifier) and Lois McMaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan 
Series (interrogation under "Fast Penta") once you can compel someone 
to tell the truth, the rules of the game/paradyme change.

Why is the Truth Potion either not used during the trial or at least 
offered as a way of short-circuiting the proceedings so that the 
defendant can testify as to the truth of their defence? Given the 
prior use of the Potion (as well as its attempted use on Harry to get 
him to tell where DD has gone) there would seem to be no way to 
defeat or trick the Potion so as to produce as Truth events that did 
not occur or negate the Potion so it was not effective. Admittedly 
removing memories such as Snipe does prior to teaching Harry, would 
prevent these memories being revealed under the Potion, but we are 
now talking about giving false testimony as to events that are 
claimed to have occurred [but did not], not preventing testimony on 
events that actually occurred.

While I acknowledge that using the Potion at the trial would 
short-circuit the plot (Harry's and DD's claims are now verified), 
this omission is still interesting/odd.