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 | ZimbabweReviewed | PeruReviewed | GhanaReviewed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Mixed Roman-Dutch and English common law | Civil law | Mixed (common law and customary law) |
| System of government | Presidential republic | Unitary semi-presidential republic | Unitary presidential republic |
| Constitution | Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) | Political Constitution of Peru | Constitution of the Republic of Ghana |
| In force since | 2013 | 1993 | 1992 |
| Capital | Harare | Lima | Accra |
| Official languages | English, Shona, Ndebele | Spanish, Quechua, Aymara | English, Akan, Ewe, Dagbani |
| Currency | Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) | Peruvian sol (PEN) | Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) |
| Population | 16,300,000 | 34,000,000 | 34,100,000 |
| Division of powers | Constitutionally devolved to ten provinces with provincial and metropolitan councils, but implementation has lagged and central government retains effective control of provincial administration and revenue. | 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. | Executive president with a Cabinet drawn substantially from Parliament, a unicameral legislature, and a judiciary whose independence is protected by security of tenure and a charged-on-consolidated-fund salary. |
| How law is made | Bills are gazetted, then pass both the National Assembly and the Senate with committee scrutiny, and the Parliamentary Legal Committee reports on whether a bill or statutory instrument is consistent with the constitution — a step with no direct equivalent in the region. The President assents; constitutional amendments require two-thirds of the membership of each chamber, and some provisions additionally require a referendum. | 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. | A bill is gazetted, read three times, considered by committee and passed by simple majority. Bills with financial implications need presidential consent to be introduced. The President assents; refusal returns the bill with reasons. |
| Legal profession | A fused profession of legal practitioners registered under the Legal Practitioners Act after a law degree and practical training, regulated by the Law Society of Zimbabwe; senior practitioners may be appointed Senior Counsel. | A law degree followed by a bachiller and tÃtulo 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. | Fused: an LLB, the Ghana School of Law professional course and enrolment admit a lawyer who may both solicit and advocate. |
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.