Costa Rica · Legislation
Legislation and primary sources
Where to find the authoritative text of the law in Costa Rica, and how to confirm it is still in force.
Sources of law, ranked
- Constitution
- Supreme; Article 7 places ratified treaties above ordinary statutes.
- Statutes of the Legislative Assembly
- Single-chamber legislation.
- Codes
- Civil Code 1888, Labour Code 1943, Criminal Code 1970.
- Sala Constitucional precedent
- Article 13 of the Jurisdiction Act makes it binding erga omnes.
The legislative process
A bill passes two debates in the Legislative Assembly. The President may veto within ten working days; the Assembly overrides with two-thirds. Any deputy may refer a bill to the Sala Constitucional for pre-enactment review, and the chamber's finding of a procedural defect is binding.
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