EGYPTIAN LEGAL

SYSTEM

Origin

Traced back beyond 4000 B.C

Location: Valley of the Nile Africa, Asia
and Europe
Solon (Greek lawgiver) visited Egypt for
the purpose of studying the laws.
Egypt had been throughout, a kingdom
in which the monarch was
constitutionally the sole supreme
ruler.

Sole Supreme Ruler

Ruled according to law but he was its

autocratic spokesman
Theory of Law Every yard of land
belonged to him, every man belonged to
him, alive or dead, for none could even be
buried without the kings assent.
All law and all justice proceeded from him.
Judicial, administrative and legislative
functions were vested in the monarch

Early Egypt (Central Royal

Court)

Central Royal Court- the king and his

supreme judges administered justice as
the focus of government
Composed of 30 Supreme Judges presided over by the Kings chief justice
The office of prime minister and of chief
judge were separated but at the end of
the kingdom, they were found merged.
Chief judge signified always the kings
chief minister.

King Thutmose IIIs speech

instruction

It is an abomination of god to show partiality.

This is the teaching thou shalt act alike to all,
shalt regard him who is known to thee like him
who is unknown to thee and him who is near
tolike him who is farAn official who does
this then shall flourish greatly in the place.
Show forth the fear of thee; let one be afraid
of thee for a prince is a prince of whom is
afraid. Lo, the true dread of a prince is to do
justice.

Harmhabs instruction
You shall not take money from one party and
decide without hearing the other; for how could
you sit as judges upon other mens needs when
one among you is himself committing an
offense against justice? The penalty for such an
offense shall be death. And I, the king, have
decreed this, that the laws of Egypt may be
bettered and that suitors may not be
oppressed. For I, the king, have in memory the
acts of oppression which have been done in the
land.

Oldest Court Record

The oldest court record in the world is found in an

Egyptian papyrus, preserved in the hieretic script,
dating back from 25 B.C. The record says:

The party Sebekotep alleges that one Usser, now

deceased, father of the other party Thau, made
the sand Sebekotep to be guardian of his, the said
Ussers wife and children. And to that end
delivered all his property to the said Sebekotep to
be applied to the use of said Ussers family
whether or not he property increased or
decreased. But the party Thau nies that his father
ever made any such conveyance.

Oldest Court Record

If the said Sebekotep produces credible
witnesses who will make oath that the said
Usser did in their presence deliver the property
on the terms set forth in the said Sebekotep s
written pleading then the property is to remain
in his possession. But if he does not produce
such witnesses, then none of the said Ussers
property shall remain in Sebekoteps
possession, but shall be delivered to the said
Thau, son of Usser.

Kings philosophy of the scope

of his attribution of justice
I planted the whole land with trees and
green things, and made the people to dwell
in their shade. I made the land safe, so that
a-lone woman could go on her wat freely,
and none would molest her. I rescued
humble from their oppressors. I made every
man safe in his home. I preserved the lives
of those who sought my court of justice. The
people were well content under my rule.
-Ramses II

Menes or Mna (3200 B.C.) earliest

human lawgiver in Egyptian tradition
Harmhab (1100 B.C.) royal legislator
Egyptian King Ramses II with Hittite King
Hattushilish III (1272 B.C) - provided for
mutual assistance not only in caseof
internal revolutions, and even went so
far as to provide the extradition of
political offenders.