Rights
2009 plurinational Constitution with parallel indigenous jurisdiction
The 2009 Constitution refounded Bolivia as a Plurinational State, recognising 36 indigenous nations and establishing jurisdicción indÃgena originaria campesina as equal in hierarchy to the ordinary courts. The Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional resolves conflicts of jurisdiction between them, and its magistrates are elected by popular vote.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Plurinational state with autonomous departmental and indigenous jurisdictions
- Deadline — Acción de amparo constitucional: six months from the act or notification
- Deadline — Acción de libertad: immediate, heard within 24 hours
Governing law
- Constitución PolÃtica del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia2009
- Ley 073 - Ley de Deslinde Jurisdiccional
- Ley 027 - Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional
In practice
The constitutional equality of indigenous and ordinary jurisdiction is Bolivia's most distinctive feature: Ley 073 delimits which matters each may hear, reserving serious crimes and certain subjects to the ordinary courts while leaving community matters to indigenous authorities applying their own norms. Popular election of high-court judges, including the Constitutional Tribunal, is also close to unique internationally.