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The Brunei Legal System

A complete plain-language guide to Brunei Darussalam

4.7(1338 reviews)From $29
Edition
2026 Edition
Extent
2286 pages
Language
English
ISBN
978-1-0000-218-1

About this book

A structured tour of how law actually works in Brunei — where it comes from, who makes it, which court hears what, and how an ordinary person or business interacts with the system. Written for readers with no legal training, with every institution named and every primary source cited so you can verify the position yourself. A dual system under an absolute monarchy. English-derived common law, received through the Application of Laws Act, governs commercial and civil matters, with English decisions still influential and a final civil appeal that lies to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London by agreement. Running alongside it is a Syariah court system whose jurisdiction was substantially enlarged by the Syariah Penal Code Order 2013, brought into force in phases from 2014 and fully from 2019. The Sultan is both head of state and head of government, holds the office of Prime Minister, and legislates by Order under emergency powers renewed continuously since 1962.

What is inside

  • Full Brunei court hierarchy explained tier by tier
  • Named regulators with contact routes and response times
  • Step-by-step procedures for the most common legal tasks
  • Every claim footnoted to an official primary source
  • Glossary of local legal terminology in plain English

Table of contents

5 parts · 18 chapters

Part I — Foundations

  1. 01The legal tradition
  2. 02Constitutional framework
  3. 03Sources of law

Part II — Institutions

  1. 01The court hierarchy
  2. 02Government and regulators
  3. 03Enforcement bodies
  4. 04The legal profession

Part III — Everyday Law

  1. 01Work and employment
  2. 02Housing and property
  3. 03Family and personal status
  4. 04Criminal process

Part IV — Doing Things

  1. 01Starting a business
  2. 02Immigration and residence
  3. 03Tax obligations
  4. 04Making a complaint

Part V — Reference

  1. 01Procedure checklists
  2. 02Glossary
  3. 03Official sources index

Who this is for

  • Residents and newcomers who need to understand their rights
  • Businesses entering or operating in the jurisdiction
  • Lawyers taking a first look at an unfamiliar system
  • Students of comparative law

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