(Secrecy of Deliberation)
Article 26. The deliberation shall not be held in public; however, the presence of supplementary Judges or Commissioned Judges may be permitted.
(Same as Above)
Article 27. Both a conference and a record of the deliberation shall be held or put in by the Presiding Judge. The secrecy shall be observed strictly in respect of the proceedings of the deliberation, the opinion, more or less, of each Judge or Commissioned Judge.
(Obligation to Express Opinion)
Article 28. The Judges and the Commissioned Judges shall not refuse to give their opinions which is requested by the Presiding Judge in the deliberation.
(Votes Case)
Article 29. Judgement shall be rendered by a majority of opinions. However, in case where the opinions as to determination of the causes of a marine accident or disciplinary punishment have been divided into three (3) or more and none of them obtains the majority, the number of opinions most unfavorable to the Examinee shall be added to the number of opinions next most unfavorable, and so on until an majority is attained and then the majority opinion shall be that of the opinion most favorable to the Examinee which is held within the majority group.
Section 3. Cooperation
(Cooperation Among the Marine Accidents Inquiry Agencies)
Article 30. Each Marine Accidents Inquiry Agency shall render necessary mutual assistance in the conduct of inquiry.
Chapter VI. Report
(Forwarding of Copy of Written Judgement)
Article 31. When the judgement is pronounced in the Local Marine Accidents Inquiry Agency (including the Branch), the Chief of the Local Marine Accidents Inquiry Agency (including the Chief of the Branch) shall forward immediately a copy of the judgement to the Director General of the High Marine Accidents Inquiry Agency.
