Courts of Ethiopia

Courts in Ethiopia divided into three-level structures: the State Supreme Court (which also incorporates a cassation bench to review fundamental error of state law), High Courts and the First Instance Courts. State Courts are represented in every regions of Ethiopia and have seat in each capital cities. The FDRE Constitution provides judicial review to the Federal Supreme Court, delegated by State Supreme Court, Federal High Courts and Federal First Instance Courts respectively.

The Federal Supreme Court is the highest court in Ethiopia, delegated by the State Supreme Court, the Federal High Courts (office pictured) and the Federal First Instance Courts respectively.

Municipal courts such as in chartered city Addis Ababa has two courts exercising municipal function: the First Instance City Courts and Appellate Courts, establishing judicial divisions – the Labor Relations Board, Civil Service Tribunal, Tax Appeal Commission, and Urban Land Clearance Matters Appeal Commission. Likewise, the municipal jurisdiction also similarly followed by Oromia Regional State that has more than 10,000 people in its cities. There is no Supreme Court in municipal administration despite cassation bench included in Appellate Court.

Besides, the FDRE Constitution also guarantees religious courts defined in Article 34(5) and Article 78(5). Social courts in kebele level hear property and monetary claims up to 5,000 birr, and can be heard by the First Instance City Courts. For example, Sharia law has been enshrined in both federal and state levels, despite obligated to follow disciplinary rule of ordinary courts and receive their budgets from the state. In Ethiopia, customary courts generally unrecognized by laws embracing traditional and local customs. They are followed in rural areas such as in Amhara (Shemagelle), Tigray (Bayito and Abo Gereb) and Oromia (Luba Basa).