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Put two to five countries side by side, or compare whole legal families. Germany next to France, or the United States next to India, shows quickly what the two share and where they part ways.

SpainMexico

Choose two to 5 countries.

All of these are in the same legal family (Civil law), so look at the differences in courts, training and the details below.

Topic	Spain	Mexico
Legal family	Civil law	Civil law
JuriGlobe lists	Civil law	Civil law
In short	Spain is a civil-law country with a Constitution of 1978 and a Civil Code of 1889. Some regions have their own civil law traditions, and Spain's courts apply European Union law as well.	Mexico is a civil-law country and a federation. Its Constitution of 1917 was one of the first in the world to include social rights. A special remedy called amparo lets people ask a court to protect their constitutional rights.
Where the law comes from	The Constitution of 1978, the highest law National codes and statutes, such as the Civil Code and the Penal Code, and regional laws in the autonomous communities European Union law, which takes priority in its area Case law of the Supreme Court, which supplements the statutes	The Constitution of 1917, the highest law Federal codes and statutes, and the codes of each of the states (including state civil codes) Treaties, including human-rights treaties, which now have constitutional importance Case law, especially from the Supreme Court, which can become binding in certain cases (jurisprudencia)
The main courts	The Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo) at the top of the ordinary courts The Constitutional Court, which reviews laws and hears individual constitutional complaints (recurso de amparo) National High Court, regional high courts, provincial courts and first-instance courts	The Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation at the top Federal circuit courts and district courts State courts, which hear most everyday civil and criminal cases
Becoming a lawyer	A law degree and a master's degree for the legal profession, practical training, and a state examination, followed by registration in a bar association (colegio de abogados).	A law degree (licenciatura), then a professional licence (cédula profesional). There is no single national bar exam. Judicial reforms in recent years have changed how some judges are chosen, so check the current position.
What may surprise you	Some regions, such as Catalonia and Aragon, have their own civil laws in addition to the national Civil Code. Citizens can bring an individual constitutional complaint to the Constitutional Court once ordinary remedies are exhausted. Spanish law has been a model for most of Latin America. Court decisions are not formal precedent, but repeated Supreme Court rulings are followed in practice.	Amparo is a distinctive remedy for protecting rights against government acts and, in some cases, court decisions. Each state has its own civil and criminal codes, so rules can differ from state to state. The Constitution lists social rights, such as labour and land rights, as well as individual ones. Mexico has a long civil-law tradition shaped by Spanish and French law.
Related systems	Italy, France, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil	Spain, Argentina, Brazil, France, Italy

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An educational overview that simplifies on purpose. It is not legal advice. For a real legal question, consult a lawyer qualified in the country concerned.