The Imperial Legal Code, which is also referred to as the Imperial penal code, represented the updated legal framework implemented throughout the galaxy by the Galactic Empire following its rise to power in 19 BBY. This code organized criminal activities into five distinct categories of violations, which included Class Two and Class Five infractions, with the latter representing the least severe offenses. The most serious crimes were classified as Class One Offenses and encompassed acts such as plotting against the Empire and piracy. Even though Imperial law was highly codified, Imperial law enforcement agencies possessed considerable discretion in how they interpreted various situations.
Even though a class five offense was the least serious, the punishment could still be severe. As an example, on Ringo Vinda, the governor there sentenced someone to six months for a speeder crash and an additional ten years for damaging a statue of Emperor Palpatine in the crash. In another instance, the curator of the Imperial Museum located on Coruscant utilized the Code to condemn Needle, a Pathfinder, to death for their attempt to steal a Quermian artifact.