SOMALILAND COURTS

Types of Somaliland courts

Somaliland has various types of courts, each with a distinct function. These are:

1. Supreme Court: which is also the Constitutional Court and the High Court for Justice. The Supreme Court is the highest judicial organ in the country and is comprised of the chairman and at least four judges. The Supreme Court deals with:
   1. All appeals from the Appeals Courts.
   2. Jurisdictional issues between the courts of the land.
   3. Administrative suits relating to the final Decisions of public bodies.
   4. Declarations of general election results (both presidential and parliamentary) and Decisions on any complaints relating to such elections, as well as appeals from lower courts’ Decisions regarding complaints relating to local government elections; and,
   5. Reviews of its own Decisions

2. Regional Appeals Courts: A Regional Court of Appeal hears appeals against decisions or sentences made by District and Regional Courts. It has authority over all such appeals within its region. The President of the Regional Court of Appeal also serves as the head of the judiciary for that region. 
3. Regional Courts: All civil litigation and all criminal cases which do not fall within the jurisdiction of the District Court are under the jurisdiction of the regional courts. This court also deals with all claims pertaining to labour or employment law, and any claims arising out of local government elections.
4. District Courts: The district courts deal with all claims based on Sharia, which are primarily matters relating to family law and succession. They also deal with civil litigation concerning suits for amounts up to 3 million Somaliland Shillings, and criminal cases punishable by imprisonment for up to 3 years or fines up to 3 million Somaliland Shillings. This court is presided over by a District Judge.

The Regional Courts and the District Courts are called “FIRST INSTANCE COURTS”.  A court of first instance is the court where the case is originally heard in full.

5. National Armed Forces Courts: This court forms part of the “National Armed Forces Judiciary” as established under the “National Armed Forces Judiciary Organization Law,” Law No. 107/2024. It comprises the “Supreme National Armed Forces Court” and the “First Instance NAF Court,” whose jurisdiction is territorially divided into two regions: the Eastern Zone and the Western Zone.