Editing Politics of Bhutan (section)

===Judicial branch===
{{Main|Royal Court of Justice}}
Bhutan's legal system is based on codes established by [[Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal|Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal]] in 17th century and influenced by Anglo-Indian [[common law]]. Under the [[Constitution of Bhutan|Constitution of 2008]], the Judicial branch consists of the [[Supreme Court of Bhutan|Supreme Court]], the [[High Court of Bhutan|High Court]], and twenty [[Dzongkhag Court]]s. For thirteen ''[[dungkhag]]'' jurisdictions in six [[Dzongkhag]]s, [[Dungkhag Court]]s are the courts of first instance. In all jurisdictions outside ''dungkhags'', the Dzongkhag Courts are the civil and criminal courts of first instance. The High Court is the first court of appeal, and the Supreme Court is the court of final appeal. The Supreme Court also has [[original jurisdiction]] over Constitutional questions and matters of national importance referred by the [[Druk Gyalpo|King]]. Judges of the Supreme and High courts are appointed by the King, and consists of one Chief Justice and four Drangpons (Associate Justices).<ref name="CoBE" /> 

Before 2008 in the Bhutanese [[judiciary|judicial system]], the monarch was the final [[appeals court|court of appeal]] (the "Supreme Court of Appeal"), and local government officials adjudicated minor crimes.<ref name=Worden>{{Country study|author=Robert L. Worden|country=Bhutan|abbr=bt|section=Legal System|editor=Andrea Matles Savada|date=September 1991|pd=yes}}</ref> The [[Royal High Court of Bhutan]] was the highest court in the country and had [[original jurisdiction]] over the twenty districts of the nation.  Judicial appointments were made by the monarch, and could be recalled by him at any time.

====Legal system====
{{Main|Law of Bhutan}}
The criminal justice system is based on trial before a panel of judges, and therefore resembles more the Napoleonic than the British or American adversarial systems. The prosecutor, a government employee, seeks to obtain an [[Confession (law)|acknowledgement of culpability]] from the accused. If this happens quickly, the sentencing may be lenient. If culpability is obvious but the accused refuses to admit to it, the sentence may be correspondingly severe. Judges may dismiss the case for lack of proof at any time. Recent [[Bhutanese legislation|legislation]] defines required proof of guilt more closely, providing increased protection against trivial or mistaken charges. Minor criminal offences may be tried by the [[Dzongkhag Court|dzongkhag Drangpon]] (District Judge).

Bhutan has not accepted compulsory [[International Court of Justice]] [[Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice|jurisdiction]].