Sudan
Religious (Islamic) law is a leading source
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Sudan's law combines English-style common law from the British period with Islamic law, which has been prominent since the 1980s, and customary law. Its institutions have been in conflict and transition, so this profile describes only the long-standing structure.
Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
Where the law comes from
- The constitutional document in force, which has changed several times; check current developments
- Statutes and codes, many modelled on British-era laws
- Islamic law, especially since the 1980s, and customary law in many communities
- Decisions of the courts, which follow English-style reasoning in some areas
The main courts
- The National Supreme Court at the top
- Courts of appeal and general courts
- Courts for personal-status matters and local or customary courts
Becoming a lawyer
A law degree and enrolment with the Sudan Bar Association.
What may surprise you
- The system mixes English common law and Islamic law, a rare combination in Africa.
- Customary and tribal dispute resolution is widely used.
- Armed conflict and political change have strained the institutions, so check current developments.
Related systems
How this country is classified
The University of Ottawa’s JuriGlobe database lists Sudan as: Muslim, Common 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
Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Gambia, Iran, Kuwait, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman.
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 Sudan, consult a lawyer qualified there. Report a mistake.
