Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | Bosnia and HerzegovinaReviewed | PanamaReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal familyIdentical | Civil law | Civil law |
| System of government | Federal parliamentary republic | Unitary presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Dayton Annex 4) | Political Constitution of the Republic of Panama |
| In force since | 1995 | 1972 |
| Capital | Sarajevo | Panama City |
| Official languages | Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian | Spanish |
| Currency | Convertible mark (BAM) | Balboa (US dollar in circulation) (PAB) |
| Population | 3,200,000 | 4,400,000 |
| Division of powers | A three-member Presidency and Council of Ministers at state level share power with two autonomous entities and the Brฤko District, each with their own legislatures and courts, under a Constitutional Court. | Unitary, with ten provinces and five indigenous comarcas. The comarcas โ Guna Yala, Emberรก-Wounaan, Ngรคbe-Buglรฉ, Guna de Madugandรญ and Guna de Wargandรญ โ hold recognised collective land title and internal authority. |
| How law is made | State laws require approval of both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly with entity-vote safeguards, while most everyday law is made at entity level. | Bills receive three debates in the National Assembly. The President may object in whole or in part; the Assembly insists with a two-thirds vote, after which the President must promulgate unless the objection was constitutional, in which case the Supreme Court decides. |
| Legal profession | Advokati/odvjetnici belong to entity bar associations; notaries handle deeds and company acts under entity notary laws. | Practice requires a Panamanian law degree and a licence from the Supreme Court; the Colegio Nacional de Abogados is influential but membership is voluntary. Only Panamanian lawyers may appear in court, which is why offshore work is routinely structured through local counsel. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full โ the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.