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Country Background

Lithuania is located in Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea. It is bounded by Latvia, Russia, Poland, and Belarus. The capital of Lithuania is Vilnius. The official language is Lithuanian. The country’s population in 2016 was approximately 2.9 million. Lithuania is a predominantly Christian country, with about 77% of the population Roman Catholic.

Constitution & Legal Structure

Lithuania is referred to as a semi-presidential republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the nation and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution was adopted in 1992 by a referendum. The system of government is based on principles of separation and checks and balances and has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The Lithuanian legal system is generally based on the legal tradition of continental Europe. Since restoration of Lithuania's independence in 1990 from the Soviet Union, the Lithuanian legal system has been reformed to meet the demands of the modern open economy. European Union law became a part of the Lithuanian legal system in 2004.

Constitutional Status of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no constitutional status in Lithuania.

Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law

Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Lithuania.

Dominant School of Islamic Law

Lithuania has no official school of Islamic law. 

Sources of Law for Legal Research

Official Publications

• Legislative
  
  • Seimas [Parliament]
  • Valstybės žinios (official gazette)
  • Selected laws - in English
• Executive
  • Prezidentas [President]
  • Vyriausybes kanceliarija [Prime Minister]
• Judicial
  • Supreme Court
  • Court of Appeals
  • Constitutional Court
  • Selected court decisions - in English

 Unofficial Databases

• FAOLEX: Lithuania (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) database of national laws and regulations on food, agriculture, and renewable natural resources.
• NATLEX: Lithuania (International Labour Organization) database of national laws on labor, social security, and related human rights.
• RefWorld Legal Information: Lithuania (UNHCR)
• WIPO Lex: Lithuania (World Intellectual Property Organization)

References:

For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].