International Judicial System

The courts form the third branch of govern- ment, and the judicial power they exercise is a crucial element of political stability in society. The courts provide a channel through which disputes among citizens, or disputes between the state and its citizens, can be settled in a peaceful and authoritative manner. Although one speaks of “the judiciary” or “the courts” as if they were one unified body, in reality any political system has a variety of judicial tribunals that collectively form the judicial branch of government. Usually there is one final “Court of Appeal” or “Supreme Court” (which can have many different names around the world). In some political systems, however, there may be separate appeal courts to deal with criminal, civil, constitutional, or religious matters. The book contains legal systems of foreign countries and their consti- tutions and constitutional courts.