What is the legal system in East Timor?

Since East Timor began as a Portuguese colony and declared independence in 1975, its legal system is significantly influenced by the Portuguese legal system. The legal system of East Timor is considered a mixed legal system, and indigenous customary law norms are also taken into account. East Timor's constitution was adopted in 2002 and is mostly inspired by Western democracies. The Constitution has a structure where fundamental rights and freedoms are guaranteed. The National Assembly, the country's legislative body, exercises legislative power and enacts laws. The judicial body consists of courts that function independently. Courts are tasked with providing justice on the basis of the constitution, laws and international agreements. These courts include the East Timor Court of Appeal, which is the court of appeal, and the Timor-Leste Constitutional Court, which deals with constitutional cases. In East Timor, indigenous customary law norms also play an important role. These norms are based on the customs, traditions and local values of local communities. Local courts have mechanisms for the implementation of indigenous legal norms and the resolution of local disputes. As a result, Timor-Leste's legal system has a hybrid structure and combines the Portuguese legal system and indigenous customary law norms. While justice is provided on the basis of the Constitution, laws and international agreements, local traditional law norms are also applied in local courts.