Latvia · Overview
The legal system of Latvia
A civil-law system whose 1922 constitution was restored after independence in 1991, with a dedicated Constitutional Court that is unusually active for the region. An EU and eurozone member.
Legal tradition
Latvia belongs to the civil law tradition. A civil-law system whose 1922 constitution was restored after independence in 1991, with a dedicated Constitutional Court that is unusually active for the region. An EU and eurozone member.
How power is divided
Parliamentary government with a parliament-elected president and a separate Constitutional Court alongside the ordinary judiciary.
Where law comes from
- Satversme
- The 1922 constitution.
- EU law
- Directly applicable and, in its field, paramount.
- Laws of the Saeima
- Primary legislation.
- Cabinet regulations
- Delegated legislation under statute.
The legal profession
Sworn advocates belong to the Latvian Council of Sworn Advocates; sworn notaries handle property and succession formalities.
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