Panama · Legislation
Legislation and primary sources
Where to find the authoritative text of the law in Panama, and how to confirm it is still in force.
Sources of law, ranked
- Constitution
- Supreme, with Title XIV governing the canal.
- Statutes of the National Assembly
- Single chamber of 71 deputies.
- Codes
- Civil Code 1917, Labour Code 1971, Judicial Code 1987, Tax Code 1956.
- Supreme Court doctrine
- Three concordant plenary rulings on the same point become binding doctrina probable.
The legislative process
Bills receive three debates in the National Assembly. The President may object in whole or in part; the Assembly insists with a two-thirds vote, after which the President must promulgate unless the objection was constitutional, in which case the Supreme Court decides.
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