In my world, there is a council of elders that will convene if any such crime is committed. Between eight members, they will list several punishments they deem as appropriate in response to the act committed and take a vote on which one is carried out. :)
... Also, as a side question: any thoughts on this method being utilized in, say, the second act?
For example, one chapter ends with two armies about to engage on the battlefield, then, the next chapter opens having skipped over all the details of the battle- and instead- the character wakes up...