Solomon Islands
Common law
Compare Solomon Islands with another country →
The Solomon Islands is a common-law country with a Constitution of 1978. English law applies, but customary law is also recognised, and most land is held under custom.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Where the law comes from
- The Constitution of 1978, the highest law
- Acts of Parliament, and English common law and equity
- Customary law, which the Constitution recognises
- Decisions of the Court of Appeal and the High Court
The main courts
- The Court of Appeal
- The High Court
- Magistrates' Courts, and Local Courts that apply custom
Becoming a lawyer
A law degree, usually from a Pacific or Australian university, and admission by the High Court.
What may surprise you
- Customary law has its own recognised place beside the common law.
- Most land is held by tribes and clans, not by individuals.
- It has many local languages, but the courts work in English.
Related systems
How this country is classified
The University of Ottawa’s JuriGlobe database lists Solomon Islands as: Common law, Customary. It names the systems in order of importance.
The map colours a country by the first-named system, and shows both civil-law and common-law countries as “mixed”. It is a simplification, and real systems are rarely pure.
Other countries in the same family
Sources
TheLawToKnow Tools’s Legal Families Atlas is an educational overview. It simplifies on purpose, and it is not legal advice. For a real legal question about Solomon Islands, consult a lawyer qualified there. Report a mistake.
