The Imperial Legal Code, which is also referred to as the Imperial penal code, refers to the updated legal framework that the Galactic Empire implemented throughout the galaxy after its founding in 19 BBY. This system organized offenses into five primary categories, ranging from Class Two to Class Five infractions, the latter of which was considered the mildest. The most severe crimes were Class One Offenses, which encompassed activities like conspiring against the Empire and piracy. Despite the structured nature of Imperial law, Imperial law enforcement agencies were granted considerable latitude in how they interpreted various situations.
Even though a class five offense was the least serious, the consequences could still be harsh. For example, on Ringo Vinda, a local governor imposed a six-month sentence for a speeder accident, but added an additional ten years because the speeder damaged a statue of Emperor Palpatine. Furthermore, the curator of the Imperial Museum located on Coruscant utilized the Code to condemn Needle of the Pathfinder to death for trying to steal a Quermian artifact.