Ukraine

• The Constitution of 1996, the highest law
• Codes and statutes, such as the Civil Code, the Criminal Code and the procedure codes
• International treaties, including the European Convention on Human Rights
• Decisions of the Supreme Court and the Constitutional Court

• The Supreme Court at the top of the ordinary courts
• Courts of appeal and local courts for civil, criminal, commercial and administrative cases
• The Constitutional Court, which decides whether laws follow the Constitution

A law degree, then a qualification exam and practical experience for the title of advocate, with membership in the bar.

• The prosecutor's office historically had a wide role, and its role has been reformed since independence.
• Courts and legal institutions have been under great pressure, and rules change often, so check current developments.
• The system uses codes in the continental style, with a large Soviet-era heritage.
• European law and standards have a strong influence on reforms.

Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, France

The University of Ottawa’s JuriGlobe database lists Ukraine 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.

Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria.

• Supreme Court of Ukraine
• Constitutional Court of Ukraine (English pages)

Sources last reviewed: October 2026.