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 | DenmarkReviewed | BrazilReviewed | MaltaReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law (Nordic) | Civil law | Mixed (civil and common law) |
| System of government | Constitutional monarchy | Federal presidential republic | Unitary parliamentary republic |
| Constitution | Constitutional Act of Denmark (Grundloven) | Constituiรงรฃo da Repรบblica Federativa do Brasil | Constitution of Malta |
| In force since | 1953 | 1988 | 1964 |
| Capital | Copenhagen | Brasรญlia | Valletta |
| Official languages | Danish | Portuguese | Maltese, English |
| Currency | Danish krone (DKK) | Brazilian Real (BRL) | Euro (EUR) |
| Population | 5,900,000 | 217,000,000 | 540,000 |
| Division of powers | Parliamentary government in which the cabinet is drawn from and answerable to the Folketing, with an independent unified judiciary. | Presidentialism with a bicameral Congress and an assertive judiciary; the STF hears direct actions of unconstitutionality brought by defined institutional applicants. | A parliamentary republic with a ceremonial President, a Cabinet led by the Prime Minister answerable to the House of Representatives and an independent judiciary. |
| How law is made | Bills pass three readings in the Folketing and receive royal assent. A minority of members can require certain bills to be put to a referendum. | Bills pass both chambers, with the initiating chamber reviewing amendments; the President may veto in whole or part, and Congress may override in joint session. | Bills are passed by the House of Representatives and assented to by the President before publication in the Government Gazette. |
| Legal profession | A single advokat profession admitted after a law degree, practical training and a bar course; judges are appointed from experienced lawyers. | Law graduates must pass the OAB examination; membership of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil is mandatory to practise. | Advocates are admitted to the bar after a law degree and warrant; legal procurators and notaries handle procedural filing and authentication of deeds. |
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.