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    The Judicial System of Cameroon

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    The judicial system of Cameroon consists of trial courts and appellate courts. The trial courts include customary courts, courts of first instance, high courts, military courts, and lower courts of administrative litigation. The appellate courts are the court of appeal and the supreme court. Customary courts handle civil and family matters according to local customs. Courts of first instance and high courts try more serious civil, criminal, and labor cases. The military court tries cases involving military personnel and matters. Appeals of lower court decisions are heard by the court of appeal and unsatisfactory appeals court rulings can be brought to the supreme court, which ensures consistency in legal interpretation.

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    The Judicial System of Cameroon

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    The judicial system of Cameroon consists of trial courts and appellate courts. The trial courts include customary courts, courts of first instance, high courts, military courts, and lower courts of administrative litigation. The appellate courts are the court of appeal and the supreme court. Customary courts handle civil and family matters according to local customs. Courts of first instance and high courts try more serious civil, criminal, and labor cases. The military court tries cases involving military personnel and matters. Appeals of lower court decisions are heard by the court of appeal and unsatisfactory appeals court rulings can be brought to the supreme court, which ensures consistency in legal interpretation.

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    THE_JUDICIAL_SYSTEM_OF_CAMEROON

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    The judicial system of Cameroon consists of trial courts and appellate courts. The trial courts include customary courts, courts of first instance, high courts, military courts, and lower courts of administrative litigation. The appellate courts are the court of appeal and the supreme court. Customary courts handle civil and family matters according to local customs. Courts of first instance and high courts try more serious civil, criminal, and labor cases. The military court tries cases involving military personnel and matters. Appeals of lower court decisions are heard by the court of appeal and unsatisfactory appeals court rulings can be brought to the supreme court, which ensures consistency in legal interpretation.

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    25 views3 pages

    The Judicial System of Cameroon

    Uploaded by

    PASTOR STAR
    The judicial system of Cameroon consists of trial courts and appellate courts. The trial courts include customary courts, courts of first instance, high courts, military courts, and lower courts of administrative litigation. The appellate courts are the court of appeal and the supreme court. Customary courts handle civil and family matters according to local customs. Courts of first instance and high courts try more serious civil, criminal, and labor cases. The military court tries cases involving military personnel and matters. Appeals of lower court decisions are heard by the court of appeal and unsatisfactory appeals court rulings can be brought to the supreme court, which ensures consistency in legal interpretation.

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    of 3

    THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF CAMEROON

    With the change over to a unitary system of Cameroon in 1972 and later to the Republic system
    in 1996, it became necessary to set up a less cumbersome and confusing system of courts for
    the entire country. Ordinance No 72/04 of 26 August 1972 on Judicial Organisation modified
    by law No 2006/015 of 29 December 2006 on Judicial organisation created the following courts
    which are classified into two groups, trial courts composed; customary courts, court of first
    instance, high court, military court and the lower courts of administration and appellate courts
    composed of court of appeal and the supreme court. They function in their various jurisdictions.
    In ascending order, they include:
    TRIAL COURTS
    Customary Courts:
    Customary courts have competence in civil matters, customary marriages, inter-tribal conflicts,
    polygamous issues, divorce and inheritance. Customary law courts apply the custom of the
    parties. They are found in each district of the country, headed by a president. Customary courts
    only handle matters up to 69000frs.
    Courts of First Instance:
    This court is governed by sections 13,14 and 15 of law No 2006/015 of 29 December 2006 on
    Judicial organisation. According to section 13 of this law, the court of first instance is found in
    every sub-division however for service purposes, its area of jurisdiction may cover several sub-
    divisions by decree of the president of the Republic. According to section 13 sub (2), the court
    will be situated in the chief town of the sub-division but may hear matters outside its seat. Such
    hearings shall be referred to as “circuit courts”. Section 14 of this law lays down the
    composition of the court of First Instance; at the bench, there is a president, one or more
    magistrates, one registrar in chief and one or more registrars. At the preliminary inquiry, there
    are one or more examining magistrates, one or more registrars. At the legal department, a
    judicial officer hearing and determining all cases brought to the court. Section 15 of this law
    lays down the courts jurisdiction to hear civil, criminal and labour matter and also tries simple
    offences and related misdemeanours with damages of fine charged not more than
    10.000.000frs.
    The High Court
    This court is governed by chapter III, sections 16,17 and 18 of law No 2006/015 of 29
    December 2006 on Judicial organisation. According to section 16, the High Court is located in
    every division however for service purposes, its area of jurisdiction may cover several divisions
    by decree of the president of the Republic. According to section 16 sub (2), the court will be
    situated in the chief town of the division but may hear matters outside its seat. Such hearings
    shall be referred to as “circuit courts”. The composition of the High Court is laid down by
    section 17; at the bench, a president, one or more judges, one registrar in chief and one or more
    registrars. For the preliminary inquiry, one or more examining magistrates, one or more
    registrars. At the legal department, one state counsel, one or more deputy state counsels.
    Section 18 of law No 2006/015 of 29 December 2006 on Judicial organisation of the courts
    lays down the jurisdiction of the High Court to take on civil, labour and criminal matters not
    excluding matters dealing with the status of persons, matrimonial matters, grievous
    misdemeanours and felonies. The High Court only deals with cases which have damages of
    above 10.000.000frs. Furthermore, the high Court issues prohibitions, mandamus and habeas
    corpus; restraining excesses and abuses by public offices.
    The Military Court
    This court is governed by law No 2008-015 of 2 December 2008 which organises military
    justice and lays down rules of procedure applicable before military tribunal. Section 2 of the
    law makes Military Tribunals special jurisdiction courts. Section 3 provides that Military Tri-
    bunals shall be set up in each Region, but depending on service needs, the Head of State may
    by Decree set up more than one tribunal within the same region or extend the area of jurisdic-
    tion of a tribunal to several regions. Composition of the military tribunal is governed by sec-
    tion 4. The Military Tribunal shall comprise:- At the Bench, a president, one or more Vice
    Presidents, two Assessors-In-Chief, one or more Registrars. For Preliminary Inquiry, one or
    more Examining Magistrates, one or more Inquiry Registrars. At the Legal Department, a
    State Prosecutor, one or more Registrars. Section 7 of law No 2008-015 of 2 December deals
    on the competence of the military court. The Military Court has competence amongst others
    to carry out trials for theft committed by the use of fire arms, offences committed by military
    men in a military establishment or in the exercise of their duties, offences committed by civil-
    ians in a military establishment which causes damage to military equipment or to the physical
    integrity of a military man, offences relating to the purchase, sale, production or keeping of
    military apparels.
    Lower courts of administrative litigation: these courts have competent to hear administrative
    matters at first instance. (These courts are not yet functional, thus for the time being the
    administrative bench of the Supreme Court continues to hear administrative matters at first
    instance).
    APPELLATE COURTS
    The Court of Appeal
    This court is governed by chapter IV, sections 19,20, 21, 22 and 23 of law No 2006/015 of 29
    December 2006 on Judicial organisation of Courts. According to section 19, the Court of
    Appeal is located in every region however for service purposes, its area of jurisdiction may
    cover several regions by decree of the president of the Republic. Composition of the Appeal
    court is laid down in section 20 of this law. At the bench, a president, one or more vice-
    presidents, one or more judges, one registrar in-chief and registrars. At the legal, a procureur
    general, one or more advocate general, one or more deputies of the procureur general, one or
    more legal assistance at the procureur general’s chambers. The court of appeal shall be
    organised into benches and the general assembly. Section 22 of the above law states lays down
    the competence of the Appeal court to review cases of customary law courts, the courts of First
    Instance, the High Courts and the Military Courts whose primary judgments were considered
    unsatisfactory by either of the parties involved, and from reviewing the case, it either passes a
    new judgment or maintain the original.
    The Supreme Court
    The supreme court is governed by law No 2006/016 of 29 December 2006 on the organisation
    and functioning of the Supreme Court. There is only one supreme court in Cameroon found in
    Yaoundé. The supreme court is composed of; at the bench, a president, bench presidents,
    substantive or alternate puisre judges, the registrar in chief of the supreme court, the registrar
    in chief of the bench and registrars. At the legal department, a procureur, an advocate general
    and deputies to the procureur general. It tries unsatisfactory cases ruled by the court of appeal,
    then gives a remedy or sends it back to be retried at the appeal court. It also handles
    administrative cases and ensures that judgments of the lower courts are in conformity with the
    law, seeing to it that case law is unified and law and customs are rightfully interpreted.
    ORGANIGRAM OF THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

    SUPREME COURT

    COURT OF APPEAL

    CUSTOMARY COURT OF FIRST MILITARY


    HIGH COURT
    COURT INSTANCE COURT

    Reference
    http://www.justiceandpeacebamenda.org

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