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 | Costa RicaReviewed | The BahamasReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Common law |
| System of government | Unitary presidential republic | Constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Political Constitution of the Republic of Costa Rica | The Constitution of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas |
| In force since | 1949 | 1973 |
| Capital | San José | Nassau |
| Official languages | Spanish | English |
| Currency | Costa Rican colón (CRC) | Bahamian dollar (BSD) |
| Population | 5,100,000 | 410,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary, with seven provinces that have no legislative power. Municipalities have constitutionally guaranteed autonomy over local services and land use. | Unitary. Parliament legislates nationally; the Family Islands are administered through local government districts created by the Local Government Act 1996, with New Providence excluded from that scheme. |
| How law is made | A bill passes two debates in the Legislative Assembly. The President may veto within ten working days; the Assembly overrides with two-thirds. Any deputy may refer a bill to the Sala Constitucional for pre-enactment review, and the chamber's finding of a procedural defect is binding. | Bills pass three readings in the House of Assembly and Senate before the Governor-General assents. Entrenched constitutional provisions, including those on citizenship and the composition of Parliament, require both a three-quarters parliamentary majority and approval by referendum, which is why constitutional change has repeatedly failed. |
| Legal profession | Practice requires enrolment with the Colegio de Abogados y Abogadas de Costa Rica, which holds disciplinary power. Notaries are lawyers holding a separate notarial licence supervised by the Dirección Nacional de Notariado. | A fused profession of counsel and attorneys admitted by the Supreme Court under the Legal Profession Act 1992, after a law degree and either the Legal Education Certificate or qualification in another common-law jurisdiction. The Bahamas Bar Association and its Bar Council regulate practice. |
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 — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.