Editing Politics of Tuvalu (section)

==Judicial branch==

Tuvalu maintains an independent [[judiciary]] consisting of a High Court, Magistrates Court on [[Funafuti]] and Island Courts and Lands Courts on each island. Appeals in relation to land disputes are made to the Lands Courts Appeal Panel. Appeals from the Island Courts and the Lands Courts Appeal Panel are made to the Magistrates Court, which has jurisdiction to hear civil cases involving up to $10,000. The superior court is the [[High Court of Tuvalu]] as it has unlimited [[original jurisdiction]] and hears appeals from the lower courts. The senior judicial officer is the [[Chief Justice of Tuvalu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.michaelkirbychambers.com/charles-sweeney-qc/|title = - Charles Sweeney QC FTI FAICA}}</ref> Rulings of the High Court can be appealed to the [[Court of Appeal of Tuvalu]]. From the Court of Appeal, there is a right of appeal to His Majesty the King in Council, i.e., the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council|Privy Council]] in London. No cases have been filed from Tuvalu in the [[Judicial Committee of the Privy Council]] yet, but it is available as an option.<ref name="SPL">{{cite book |last1= Jennifer Corrin-Care, Tess Newton and Don Paterson |title= Introduction to South Pacific Law |year= 1999 |publisher= Cavendish Publishing Ltd |location= London }}</ref><ref name="PACLIIct">{{cite web| work=Tuvalu Courts System Information |title=PACLII |url= http://www.paclii.org/tv/courts.html| access-date=10 March 2013}}</ref>

The [[law of Tuvalu]] comprises the Acts voted into law by the Parliament of Tuvalu and statutory instruments that become law; certain Acts passed by the Parliament of the UK (during the time Tuvalu was either a British protectorate or British colony); the [[common law]]; and [[customary law]] (particularly in relation to the ownership of land).<ref name="SPL"/><ref name="PACLIIct"/>