Summary

Due to its pluralistic nature and dynamic processes, the African legal system is a rather difficult legal phenomenon to define. This is a legal landscape in which different legal systems combine. One primary characteristic of the African legal system is custom that is passed down from generation to generation and which has played an important role as a source of law.

This article introduces the reader to the essence and development of the African legal system, and its place within the legal systems of the world. The author also examines conflicts between the principles underlying western legal systems and the African legal system.