Albania
Civil law
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Albania is a civil-law country with a Constitution of 1998. Since 2016 it has carried out a large judicial reform, including a 'vetting' process that re-evaluates judges and prosecutors. It is a candidate for membership of the European Union.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Where the law comes from
- The Constitution of 1998, the highest law
- Codes and statutes, such as the Civil Code (1994) and the Criminal Code
- International treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights
- Decisions of the Constitutional Court and the High Court
The main courts
- The High Court at the top of the ordinary courts
- The Constitutional Court, which reviews laws
- Courts of appeal and first-instance courts, with a special structure against organised crime and corruption
Becoming a lawyer
A law degree, a traineeship and the bar exam, followed by registration with the National Chamber of Advocacy.
What may surprise you
- A vetting process with international monitors has re-examined the integrity of judges and prosecutors.
- The legal system was rebuilt after the end of communist rule in 1991.
- Albania's law is being brought closer to EU rules as part of accession.
Related systems
How this country is classified
The University of Ottawa’s JuriGlobe database lists Albania as: Civil law. 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
Sources last reviewed: October 2026.
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 Albania, consult a lawyer qualified there. Report a mistake.
