Bahrain · Courts
Court structure of Bahrain
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Constitutional — Constitutional Court
- Constitutionality of legislation; advisory opinions on bills.
- Final appellate — Court of Cassation
- Points of law; sits as the apex of the ordinary hierarchy.
- Appellate — High Civil Court of Appeal
- Civil, commercial and administrative appeals.
- First instance — High Civil Court and Lower Courts
- Civil, commercial, criminal and administrative divisions.
- Personal status — Sharia Courts (Sunni and Ja'fari divisions)
- Family and succession, applying the codified Family Law.
Every court in the hierarchy
- supremeManamaCourt of Cassation of BahrainFinal review on points of law in civil, commercial and criminal matters from the High Court of Appeal.
- constitutionalManamaConstitutional Court of BahrainReview of the constitutionality of laws and regulations on referral by the King, the Council of Representatives, the Shura Council, or a court hearing a case in which the question arises.
- specialisedManamaSharia Courts of BahrainMarriage, divorce, custody and inheritance for Muslims, in separate Sunni and Jafari branches, with civil courts handling non-Muslim personal status.
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