Law of Colombia

Colombia follows a civil law system in the Latin American continental tradition, rooted in Spanish colonial law and given its lasting codified form when the country adopted, with local adaptations, the Chilean Civil Code drafted by Andres Bello, in 1873. The 1991 Constitution replaced the long-standing 1886 Constitution and introduced significant reforms, most notably the creation of a dedicated Constitutional Court to review the constitutionality of legislation and the establishment of the tutela, an expedited judicial action any person can use to seek protection of a fundamental constitutional right. The judiciary is structurally plural in the manner typical of Latin American civil law states, with the Supreme Court of Justice heading the ordinary jurisdiction, the Council of State heading the administrative jurisdiction, and the Superior Council of the Judiciary overseeing judicial administration and resolving jurisdictional conflicts between the other high courts.