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 | PeruReviewed | BrazilReviewed | BelizeReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Civil law | Civil law | Common law |
| System of government | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Federal presidential republic | Parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Political Constitution of Peru | Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil | Belize Constitution |
| In force since | 1993 | 1988 | 1981 |
| Capital | Lima | Brasília | Belmopan |
| Official languages | Spanish, Quechua, Aymara | Portuguese | English, Spanish, Belize Kriol, Q'eqchi', Mopan |
| Currency | Peruvian sol (PEN) | Brazilian Real (BRL) | Belize dollar (BZD) |
| Population | 34,000,000 | 217,000,000 | 410,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary and decentralised, with twenty-five regional governments and the Lima Metropolitan Municipality holding elected councils and administrative competence. Peasant and native communities exercise jurisdiction within their territory under Article 149 in coordination with the justices of the peace. | Presidentialism with a bicameral Congress and an assertive judiciary; the STF hears direct actions of unconstitutionality brought by defined institutional applicants. | Unitary, with six districts and elected town and village councils. Maya communal land rights in Toledo are recognised through the courts rather than by statute, and implementation is supervised by the CCJ. |
| How law is made | Bills come from Congress, the executive, regional governments or citizens. A single chamber debates in committee and plenary; a second vote is required unless exempted. The President may observe a bill, and Congress insists by absolute majority. Constitutional amendment needs an absolute majority in two successive ordinary legislatures, or a two-thirds vote plus 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. | A bill passes three readings in the House of Representatives, then the Senate, and receives the Governor-General's assent. Money bills originate in the House. Constitutional amendments need a two-thirds majority of all House members, and certain entrenched provisions require three-quarters. |
| Legal profession | A law degree followed by a bachiller and título de abogado, then compulsory registration with one of the departmental colegios de abogados, which hold disciplinary power. Registration in one college permits practice nationwide. Notaries are a separate profession appointed by competitive examination. | Law graduates must pass the OAB examination; membership of the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil is mandatory to practise. | A fused profession of attorneys-at-law admitted by the High Court under the Legal Profession Act, with the Bar Association of Belize exercising disciplinary functions. Commonwealth qualifications are recognised on application, which keeps a small bar workable. |
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.