Add Some Props

While you only need the cards to play, a few props—such as a judge’s
wig, robe, and gavel—add some gravitas. White linen or tobacco cloth
shawls are a nice way to differentiate ghosts from the living.
If you have access to audiovisual resources, some dramatic lighting
goes a long way, and introducing the game with the soundtrack to a
popular eighties television show will put everyone in the right frame of
mind. This is all very nice but the game will still be fun without them.

Roles
What Is This? In Ghost Court you can play a member of the court staff, someone
Ghost Court is a live-action party game about spectral justice in a appearing before the bench as a litigant (a Plaintiff or Defendant), or
small claims court. It is perfectly suited for a large group, but you can you can be a spectator in the courtroom there to watch the fireworks.
play with as few as six players. If you rotate roles, you can be all three!
Play focuses on a few players at a time, as the judge and court officers Court Staff
hear testimony while the rest of the players take turns as plaintiffs The staff of Ghost Court consists of a Judge, a Clerk, and a Bailiff.
and defendants arguing over the petty disputes between the living They can be alive or dead, grumpy or good natured, thoughtful or
and the dead. ridiculous. Playing the court staff is great fun, and your staff will have
A typical game takes an hour, but you can keep playing as long as the spotlight on them throughout the game.
everyone is having a good time. The only required role is Judge, although Clerk should be included
Ghost Court requires nothing more than the cards and your in most groups. The Bailiff appears if you have a large (and unruly,
enthusiasm! and odd-numbered) group. Adjust based on how many players you
have—make sure you have pairs of litigants and a Judge, then add
Contents court staff.
• The rulebook
Judge
• XX cards: TK Role Cards for the court staff (Judge, Clerk, and
The Judge hears evidence, asks questions, and delivers a verdict — all
Bailiff) and TK Case Cards for each case, including a Clerk Card,
in five minutes or less. They are the final word on justice and ghost law.
Plaintiff Card, and Defendant Card
Clerk
Preparation The Clerk manages the court’s caseload, calls and instructs litigants,
Grab Some Players keeps time, and shuts down the long-winded, be they litigants or the
You’ll need at least six players, and having more is always better. Fill Judge. The Clerk is all-powerful.
your courtroom with spectators, eager for justice!
Bailiff
Find a Good Space The Bailiff manages the courtroom, maintains order, and enforces the
Arrange the space into a courtroom. There should be a raised desk or Judge’s rulings as necessary. A good bailiff can play with the energy
large, comfortable chair of to one side for the Judge and another chair of the room, stirring up quiet spectators and silencing them when
or table for the Clerk. Facing these, there should be a pair of chairs or they get too rowdy.
a table for the litigants. The rest of the room is a gallery and should
CHANGING Roles
have enough chairs for the rest of the players, plus a few extra — you
The Judge, Clerk, and Bailiff are all attention-grabbing, fun roles.
are likely to draw a crowd.
It’s good practice to rotate through these, allowing lots of people to
Choose Case Cards introduce new, ridiculous court staff. Depending on the size of your
Sort out the cases and choose which ones you want to play, crowd, swapping out court staff every three or four cases is a good
corresponding to the number of players and the amount of time you ratio.
have. A good estimate is one case per ten minutes of play. You can
Litigants
always add more if you need to.
Plaintiffs bring a case before the bench, and Defendants, well, defend
Set aside the Clerk Cards for each case you’ve chosen for use by the themselves. They always appear as a pair to present two sides of the
Clerk. case to the Judge.
Choose Roles Always make sure you have an even number of Litigants­—balance
Decide who will initially play the court staff roles (Judge and Clerk Plaintiffs and Defendants in pairs.
and, with a large enough group, Bailiff) Each pair gets a case from the court Clerk — a case has separate cards
Hand out case cards to everyone who wants to play a litigant. It’s OK for Plaintiff and Defendant, each with a shared case number. Some
if some people just want to be spectators. litigants are ghosts; ghosts are marked with an icon on the case card.
Gather everyone and have a safety talk (See TK) Spectators
If you just want to watch, that’s fine! It’s quite possible that later in the
game you can grab a case and be a litigant if you change your mind.
Playing The Game Options
Introduction MULTIPLE ROLES
What you are about to witness is real. The participants are not actors. Unless you have a lot of participants, there’s nothing wrong with
They are the living people and ghosts who have already either filed giving each player two or three cases, pairing them in different ways
suit or been served a summons to appear in municipal court. Both for maximum involvement. This is a great way to play, as people get
parties in the suit have agreed to dismiss their court cases and have to play multiple characters in front of the Judge.
their disputes settled here, in our forum:
CUT-THROAT GHOST COURT
Ghost Court.
If you have a small group—eight or less—you can play a competitive
Imagine a crowded and understaffed small claims court. Now imagine variant of Ghost Court. First, select an odd number of cases to handle.
it filled with ghosts and the people who are suing them. Once everyone Permanently assign the litigants into Plaintiff and Defendant teams
is ready to play, here’s how you do it. as lawyers, and have them choose one of their own to plead each case
Welcome everyone and read the introduction above, to put everyone before the Judge. Keep track of which side wins more cases. The
in the right mood. Aim for a convivial but attentive atmosphere. winners must bring snacks and beer next time. This variant isn’t much
Encourage unruly comments and reactions from the gallery but aim fun with a very large group, and you can’t rotate roles.
to keep the pace brisk — a case every 5-10 minutes.
Add A Jury
The Clerk calls a case from the docket. The two litigants approach the If you have a huge group and more players than you have time to
bench, guided by the Bailiff if you have one. handle cases for, add a jury composed of garrulous audience members.
Each side has one minute to plead their case, carefully monitored The jury’s job is to decide for the Plaintiff or Defendant. The jury gets
by the Clerk. one additional minute to deliberate and, per Ghost Court protocol,
The Judge can ask questions for three minutes, and then rules on majority rules. The Judge then pronounces sentence. For this variant,
the matter. a “jury foreman” to keep everyone on task is recommended.

Next case! Is it time to rotate the court staff? Are there recent arrivals
in the gallery who need to be assigned a case?
Credits
Designed by Jason Morningstar
The game ends when the last case is heard, you run out of time or
Art by Richard Sala
maximum fun has been achieved.
Layout by Brennen Reece
Safety Edited and Developed by Steve Segedy
Even in a social game to be played among friends, it’s good to be very Additional Editing by Autumn Winters
intentional about player safety. Have a discussion before you play so
Project Management by Alex Roberts
that everyone is clear about expectations and options. Make sure to
cover these points:

Be Generous
Approach play with the expectation of love and trust. Help others have
fun, and don’t do things that interfere with that.

BE COOL
Ghost Court is timeless, so leave your topical jokes on the front steps.
Your “Ghost Lives Matter” quip isn’t helping anyone have fun.

Set Boundaries
Agree on boundaries. There’s no reason for anyone to touch anyone
playing Ghost Court, so “zero physical contact” is a good start.
For in-game content, use film ratings as a starting point. Start with a
mild rating (“PG”) and then seek consensus on more mature ratings
if you are among adults, or good friends, or both. Stick to what you
all agree to.

Take a Break
You may leave the play area at any time, for any reason, with or
without explanation. You can also come back if you like!

Be SAfe
The word “cut” stops all play. Ask everyone to repeat this so it is clear.
Say “cut”if there is obvious danger, physical or otherwise.

Speak Up MORE INFORMATION

Speak up if you want or need something. No game is more important www.bullypulpitgames.com/games/ghost-court
than your comfort and safety.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bullypulpitgames/ghost-court
 Judge
Enough of that, Defendant, you’ll get your turn in a moment. Connell,
this used to be your house?

Connell
Yes, Your Honor, and I’ve been haunting it ever since … ever since …

Judge
I understand, since your … transition to a ghostly existence. Please
continue. [To WICKER] And not a peep out of you.

Example of Play Connell

So they remodeled the kitchen and discovered, hidden under the
Bailiff
floorboards, my emerald necklace.
Oyez, oyez, oyez. Ghost Court is now in session, the Honorable Judge
Bloodgood presiding. [WICKER starts to speak and the JUDGE gives them a threatening
look.]
Judge, who is a ghost It’s a beautiful necklace. I was wearing it when I was murdered. I’ve
Thank you, Bailiff. The rest of you be advised I do not truck with
been looking for it. All I want is my necklace back, Your Honor. It’s
nonsense in my courtroom; any outbursts and this magnificent
only fair.
specimen [Indicated BAILIFF] will eject you so fast your head will
[WICKER rolls their eyes.]
spin. All right, on to business.

Clerk Judge
Well, we’ll see what we can do. Do you have anything to add?
[Reads card for Case #11]
Calling case number eleven, Connell v. Wicker. Connell
No, Your Honor. Or, rather, yes - [Laying it on thick] I’d add that that
Judge necklace is my only connection to happy times, to a life I once had
What’s this about, Clerk?
among friends and family, before … before … I’m sorry, it’s all so very
Clerk sad. Thank you.
Your Honor, a ghost claims to own a piece of property a homeowner
Judge
discovered beneath their kitchen floor. Connell, Wicker, please
Thank you. All right, defendant. Wicker, is it?
approach the bench.
[With the assistance of the BAILIFF, the two players with Case #11 Wicker
come up. CONNELL’S player, the plaintiff, puts on a ghost robe. Both FInally.
have skimmed over their cards while they waited to be called and now
Judge
review them.]
Now’s your chance, Wicker. Let’s hear it.
Judge
Wicker
You are Connell?
Great, I don’t actually have a sad, emotional story for you. My name
Connell, Who Is A Ghost is Gary Wicker, I bought the place, I own it, if somebody back in
Yes, your honor. olden times squirreled away a jar of gold coins in the wall, it would
be mine, right?
Judge
[To CLERK] The plaintiff in this case? Judge
Just tell me what happened.
Clerk
The very same, your honor. [CLERK glances at their clock and starts Wicker
timing] Like the ghost said, I was remodeling my kitchen and found a necklace.

Judge Connell
And a ghost. Well, let’s hear it. What seems to be the problem? My necklace!

Connell Wicker
[Paraphrasing their card, giving it all the sympathetic drama they [Pauses a moment] Not going to reprimand them? No? OK, I see how it
can muster] Your Honor, my name is Lobelia Connell. I am deceased. is, they can talk over me but I can’t correct their factual inaccuracies.
What happened is this - this person [Indicates WICKER] remodeled Funny how that works.
my kitchen…
Judge
Wicker, Who Is Not A Ghost You’re about to see how it works if you don’t get on with your story.
My kitchen.
Wicker Judge
Sorry, Your Honor. Anyway, there’s no documentation on this necklace, … But! It’s your property in the same way the fireplace is your property
no way to know who used to own it, or if that even matters since it was - it’s part of the house. You can enjoy it, wear it if you like, but it stays
in my house, which I own. Not calling anybody a liar but who knows? with the house in perpetuity, on display. Do you understand?
It’s an old piece of jewelry is all and I’m not giving it up.
Wicker
[CLERK waves at JUDGE and points at the clock.]
That’s unfair!
Judge Judge
We’ll see about that. Have you anything to add?
[Bangs the gavel angrily] You better watch yourself, or I’ll cite your
Wicker anti-ghost rhetoric and general bad attitude for contempt! I’ll ask
It’s not like a ghost can even wear a necklace. again, do you understand?

Judge Wicker
I’d advise you to watch your tone in my courtroom, defendant. Yes, Your Honor.

Wicker Judge
Sorry, it’s just … Thought so. All right with you, Connell?

Judge Connell
I’ve heard enough out of you! I get the distinct impression you aren’t I’ll be able to look at it?
fond of ghosts, which is of course your right, but I won’t tolerate your
Judge
condescension in my courtroom. Keep your prejudice in check or face
Of course. On display in a place of honor. Right, Wicker?
the consequences. Now, Connell, can you prove the necklace is yours?
[CONNELL’S player thinks for a moment and decides to improvise Wicker
a little.] Yes, Your Honor. I’ll put it in a big glass case in my kitchen.

Connell Judge
I believe I can, Your Honor. My grand daughter has a Daguerreotype Excellent, I think we’re done here, chalk this one up for the plaintiff
portrait of me wearing it, which I am sure she’d be happy to enter but really everybody wins. [JUDGE bangs the gavel] Bailiff, will you
into evidence. escort these citizens back to their seats? What’s next on the docket?

Judge
I see, I see. Clerk, will you contact the plaintiff’s descendent and [BAILIFF escorts CONNELL and WICKER’S players back to their
arrange for the court to get a copy of that Daguerreotype? A snapshot seats and collects their cards.]
will do.

Wicker
Really?

Clerk
Sure thing, Your Honor.

Judge
And will that satisfy you, defendant, as to the original ownership of
said necklace?

Wicker
I guess?

Judge
Yes or no, you rascal!

Wicker
Yes, Your Honor.

Judge
Good, then I think I’ve got a solution. As you say, Wicker, the necklace
is indeed your property.
MORE INFORMATION
Wicker
www.bullypulpitgames.com/games/ghost-court
Thanks, Your Honor! I knew you’d…
www.kickstarter.com/projects/bullypulpitgames/ghost-court