Legal system (2008)

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Informations about Legal system in 2008 year

	Afghanistan	based on mixed civil and Shari'a law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Akrotiri	the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
	Albania	has a civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; has accepted jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court for its citizens
	Algeria	socialist, based on French and Islamic law; judicial review of legislative acts in ad hoc Constitutional Council composed of various public officials, including several Supreme Court justices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	American Samoa	NA
	Andorra	based on French and Spanish civil codes; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Angola	based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law; modified to accommodate political pluralism and increased use of free markets
	Anguilla	based on English common law
	Antarctica	Antarctica is administered through meetings of the consultative member nations; decisions from these meetings are carried out by these member nations (with respect to their own nationals and operations) in accordance with their own national laws; US law, including certain criminal offenses by or against US nationals, such as murder, may apply extraterritorially; some US laws directly apply to Antarctica; for example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of statute: the taking of native mammals or birds; the introduction of nonindigenous plants and animals; entry into specially protected areas; the discharge or disposal of pollutants; and the importation into the US of certain items from Antarctica; violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison; the National Science Foundation and Department of Justice share enforcement responsibilities; Public Law 95-541, the US Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, as amended in 1996, requires expeditions from the US to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office of Oceans, Room 5805, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty; for more information, contact Permit Office, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation, Arlington, Virginia 22230; telephone: (703) 292-8030, or visit their website at www.nsf.gov; more generally, access to the Antarctic Treaty area, that is to all areas between 60 and 90 degrees south latitude, is subject to a number of relevant legal instruments and authorization procedures adopted by the states party to the Antarctic Treaty
	Antigua and Barbuda	based on English common law
	Argentina	mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Armenia	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Aruba	based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
	Ashmore and Cartier Islands	the laws of the Commonwealth of Australia and the laws of the Northern Territory of Australia, where applicable, apply
	Australia	based on English common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Austria	civil law system with Roman law origin; judicial review of legislative acts by the Constitutional Court; separate administrative and civil/penal supreme courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Azerbaijan	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Bahamas, The	based on English common law
	Bahrain	based on Islamic law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Baker Island	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Bangladesh	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Barbados	English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Belarus	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Belgium	based on civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Belize	English law
	Benin	based on French civil law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Bermuda	English law
	Bhutan	based on Indian law and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Bolivia	based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Bosnia and Herzegovina	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Botswana	based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Bouvet Island	the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
	Brazil	based on Roman codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	British Indian Ocean Territory	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
	British Virgin Islands	English law
	Brunei	based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Bulgaria	civil law and criminal law based on Roman law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Burkina Faso	based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Burma	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Burundi	based on German and Belgian civil codes and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Cambodia	primarily a civil law mixture of French-influenced codes from the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC) period, royal decrees, and acts of the legislature, with influences of customary law and remnants of communist legal theory; increasing influence of common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Cameroon	based on French civil law system, with common law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Canada	based on English common law, except in Quebec, where civil law system based on French law prevails; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Cape Verde	based on the legal system of Portugal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Cayman Islands	British common law and local statutes
	Central African Republic	based on French law
	Chad	based on French civil law system and Chadian customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Chile	based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; note - in June 2005, Chile completed overhaul of its criminal justice system to a new, US-style adversarial system
	China	based on civil law system; derived from Soviet and continental civil code legal principles; legislature retains power to interpret statutes; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Christmas Island	under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law
	Clipperton Island	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	Cocos (Keeling) Islands	based upon the laws of Australia and local laws
	Colombia	based on Spanish law; a new criminal code modeled after US procedures was enacted into law in 2004 and is gradually being implemented; judicial review of executive and legislative acts
	Comoros	French and Islamic law in a new consolidated code
	Congo, Democratic Republic of the	a new constitution was adopted by referendum 18 December 2005; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Congo, Republic of the	based on French civil law system and customary law
	Cook Islands	based on New Zealand law and English common law
	Coral Sea Islands	the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
	Costa Rica	based on Spanish civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Cote d'Ivoire	based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review in the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Croatia	based on Austro-Hungarian law system with Communist law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Cuba	based on Spanish civil law and influenced by American legal concepts, with large elements of Communist legal theory; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Cyprus	based on English common law, with civil law modifications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Czech Republic	civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to bring it in line with Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) obligations and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
	Denmark	civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Dhekelia	the Sovereign Base Area Administration has its own court system to deal with civil and criminal matters; laws applicable to the Cypriot population are, as far as possible, the same as the laws of the Republic of Cyprus
	Djibouti	based on French civil law system, traditional practices, and Islamic law; accepts ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Dominica	based on English common law
	Dominican Republic	based on French civil codes; Criminal Procedures Code modified in 2004 to include important elements of an accusatory system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Ecuador	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Egypt	based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	El Salvador	based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court
	Equatorial Guinea	partly based on Spanish civil law and tribal custom
	Eritrea	primary basis is the Ethiopian legal code of 1957, with revisions; new civil, commercial, and penal codes have not yet been promulgated; government also issues unilateral proclamations setting laws and policies; also relies on customary and post-independence-enacted laws and, for civil cases involving Muslims, Islamic law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Estonia	based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Ethiopia	based on civil law; currently transitional mix of national and regional courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	European Union	comparable to the legal systems of member states; first supranational law system
	Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)	English common law
	Faroe Islands	the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
	Fiji	based on British system
	Finland	civil law system based on Swedish law; the president may request the Supreme Court to review laws; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	France	civil law system with indigenous concepts; review of administrative but not legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	French Polynesia	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	French Southern and Antarctic Lands	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	Gabon	based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Gambia, The	based on a composite of English common law, Islamic law, and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Georgia	based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Germany	civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Ghana	based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Gibraltar	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
	Greece	based on codified Roman law; judiciary divided into civil, criminal, and administrative courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Greenland	the laws of Denmark, where applicable, apply
	Grenada	based on English common law
	Guam	modeled on US; US federal laws apply
	Guatemala	civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Guernsey	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; justice is administered by the Royal Court
	Guinea	based on French civil law system, customary law, and decree; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Guinea-Bissau	based on French civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Guyana	based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Haiti	based on Roman civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Heard Island and McDonald Islands	the laws of Australia, where applicable, apply
	Holy See (Vatican City)	based on Code of Canon Law and revisions to it
	Honduras	rooted in Roman and Spanish civil law with increasing influence of English common law; recent judicial reforms include abandoning Napoleonic legal codes in favor of the oral adversarial system; accepts ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Hong Kong	based on English common law
	Howland Island	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Hungary	based German-Austrian legal system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Iceland	civil law system based on Danish law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	India	based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; separate personal law codes apply to Muslims, Christians, and Hindus
	Indonesia	based on Roman-Dutch law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts and by new criminal procedures and election codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Iran	based on Sharia law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Iraq	based on European civil and Islamic law under the framework outlined in the Iraqi Constitution; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Ireland	based on English common law, substantially modified by indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Isle of Man	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx statutes
	Israel	mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Italy	based on civil law system; appeals treated as new trials; judicial review under certain conditions in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Jamaica	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Jan Mayen	the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
	Japan	modeled after German civil law system with English-American influence; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Jarvis Island	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Jersey	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and local statutes; justice is administered by the Royal Court
	Johnston Atoll	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Jordan	based on Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Kazakhstan	based on Islamic law and Roman law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Kenya	based on Kenyan statutory law, Kenyan and English common law, tribal law, and Islamic law; judicial review in High Court; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; constitutional amendment of 1982 making Kenya a de jure one-party state repealed in 1991
	Kingman Reef	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Kiribati	NA
	Korea, North	based on Prussian civil law system with Japanese influences and Communist legal theory; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Korea, South	combines elements of continental European civil law systems, Anglo-American law, and Chinese classical thought; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Kosovo	evolving legal system based on terms of UN Special Envoy Martii AHTISAARI's Plan for Kosovo's supervised independence
	Kuwait	civil law system with Islamic law significant in personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Kyrgyzstan	based on French and Russian laws; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Laos	based on traditional customs, French legal norms and procedures, and socialist practice; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Latvia	based on civil law system with traces of Socialist legal traditions and practices; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Lebanon	mixture of Ottoman law, canon law, Napoleonic code, and civil law; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Lesotho	based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Liberia	dual system of statutory law based on Anglo-American common law for the modern sector and customary law based on unwritten tribal practices for indigenous sector; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Libya	based on Italian and French civil law systems and Islamic law; separate religious courts; no constitutional provision for judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Liechtenstein	local civil and penal codes based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Lithuania	based on civil law system; legislative acts can be appealed to the constitutional court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Luxembourg	based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Macau	based on Portuguese civil law system
	Macedonia	based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Madagascar	based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Malawi	based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Malaysia	based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court at request of supreme head of the federation; Islamic law is applied to Muslims in matters of family law and religion; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Maldives	based on Islamic law with admixtures of English common law primarily in commercial matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Mali	based on French civil law system and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Malta	based on English common law and Roman civil law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Marshall Islands	based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
	Mauritania	a combination of Islamic law and French civil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Mauritius	based on French civil law system with elements of English common law in certain areas; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Mayotte	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	Mexico	mixture of US constitutional theory and civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Micronesia, Federated States of	based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
	Midway Islands	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Moldova	based on civil law system; Constitutional Court reviews legality of legislative acts and governmental decisions of resolution; accepts many UN and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) documents; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Monaco	based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Mongolia	blend of Soviet, German, and US systems that combine "continental" or "civil" code and case-precedent; constitution ambiguous on judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Montenegro	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Montserrat	English common law and statutory law
	Morocco	based on Islamic law and French and Spanish civil law systems; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Chamber of Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Mozambique	based on Portuguese civil law system and customary law
	Namibia	based on Roman-Dutch law and 1990 constitution
	Nauru	acts of the Nauru Parliament and British common law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Navassa Island	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Nepal	based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Netherlands	based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Netherlands Antilles	based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
	New Caledonia	based on French civil law; the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands
	New Zealand	based on English law, with special land legislation and land courts for the Maori; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Nicaragua	civil law system; Supreme Court may review administrative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Niger	based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Nigeria	based on English common law, Islamic law (in 12 northern states), and traditional law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Niue	English common law; note - Niue is self-governing, with the power to make its own laws
	Norfolk Island	based on the laws of Australia, local ordinances and acts; English common law applies in matters not covered by either Australian or Norfolk Island law
	Northern Mariana Islands	based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation
	Norway	mixture of customary law, civil law system, and common law traditions; Supreme Court renders advisory opinions to legislature when asked; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Oman	based on English common law and Islamic law; ultimate appeal to the monarch; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Pakistan	based on English common law with provisions to accommodate Pakistan's status as an Islamic state; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Palau	based on Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws
	Palmyra Atoll	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Panama	based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Papua New Guinea	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Paraguay	based on Argentine codes, Roman law, and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in Supreme Court of Justice; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Peru	based on civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Philippines	based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Pitcairn Islands	local island by-laws
	Poland	based on a mixture of Continental (Napoleonic) civil law and holdover Communist legal theory; changes being gradually introduced as part of broader democratization process; limited judicial review of legislative acts, but rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal are final; court decisions can be appealed to the European Court of Justice in Strasbourg; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Portugal	based on civil law system; the Constitutional Tribunal reviews the constitutionality of legislation; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Puerto Rico	based on Spanish civil code and within the US Federal system of justice
	Qatar	based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Romania	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Russia	based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Rwanda	based on German and Belgian civil law systems and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Saint Barthelemy	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	Saint Helena	English common law and statutes, supplemented by local statutes
	Saint Kitts and Nevis	based on English common law
	Saint Lucia	based on English common law
	Saint Martin	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	Saint Pierre and Miquelon	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	based on English common law
	Samoa	based on English common law and local customs; judicial review of legislative acts with respect to fundamental rights of the citizen; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	San Marino	based on civil law system with Italian law influences; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Sao Tome and Principe	based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Saudi Arabia	based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Senegal	based on French civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts in Constitutional Court; the Council of State audits the government's accounting office; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Serbia	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Seychelles	based on English common law, French civil law, and customary law
	Sierra Leone	based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Singapore	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Slovakia	civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
	Slovenia	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Solomon Islands	English common law, which is widely disregarded
	Somalia	no national system; a mixture of English common law, Italian law, Islamic Shari'a, and Somali customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	South Africa	based on Roman-Dutch law and English common law
	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply; the senior magistrate from the Falkland Islands presides over the Magistrates Court
	Spain	civil law system, with regional applications; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Sri Lanka	a highly complex mixture of English common law, Roman-Dutch, Kandyan, and Jaffna Tamil law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Sudan	based on English common law and Islamic law; as of 20 January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed Islamic law in the northern states; Islamic law applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion; however, the CPA establishes some protections for non-Muslims in Khartoum; some separate religious courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; the southern legal system is still developing under the CPA following the civil war; Islamic law will not apply to the southern states
	Suriname	based on Dutch legal system incorporating French penal theory; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Svalbard	the laws of Norway, where applicable, apply
	Swaziland	based on South African Roman-Dutch law in statutory courts and Swazi traditional law and custom in traditional courts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Sweden	civil law system influenced by customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Switzerland	civil law system influenced by customary law; judicial review of legislative acts, except with respect to federal decrees of general obligatory character; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
	Syria	based on a combination of French and Ottoman civil law; Islamic law is used in the family court system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Taiwan	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Tajikistan	based on civil law system; no judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Tanzania	based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Thailand	based on civil law system, with influences of common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Timor-Leste	UN-drafted legal system based on Indonesian law remains in place but is to be replaced by civil and penal codes based on Portuguese law; these have passed but have not been promulgated; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Togo	French-based court system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Tokelau	New Zealand and local statutes
	Tonga	based on English common law
	Trinidad and Tobago	based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Tunisia	based on French civil law system and Islamic law; some judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court in joint session; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Turkey	civil law system derived from various European continental legal systems; note - member of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), although Turkey claims limited derogations on the ratified European Convention on Human Rights; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Turkmenistan	based on civil law system and Islamic law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Turks and Caicos Islands	based on laws of England and Wales, with a few adopted from Jamaica and The Bahamas
	Tuvalu	NA
	Uganda	in 1995, the government restored the legal system to one based on English common law and customary law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	Ukraine	based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	United Arab Emirates	based on a dual system of Shari'a and civil courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	United Kingdom	based on common law tradition with early Roman and modern continental influences; has nonbinding judicial review of Acts of Parliament under the Human Rights Act of 1998; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
	United States	federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is based on English common law; judicial review of legislative acts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	United States Pacific Island Wildlife Refuges	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Uruguay	based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Uzbekistan	based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Vanuatu	unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
	Venezuela	open, adversarial court system
	Vietnam	based on communist legal theory and French civil law system has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Virgin Islands	based on US laws
	Wake Island	the laws of the US, where applicable, apply
	Wallis and Futuna	the laws of France, where applicable, apply
	World	all members of the UN are parties to the statute that established the International Court of Justice (ICJ) or World Court
	Yemen	based on Islamic law, Turkish law, English common law, and local tribal customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Zambia	based on English common law and customary law; judicial review of legislative acts in an ad hoc constitutional council; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
	Zimbabwe	mixture of Roman-Dutch and English common law