Witnesses in the Maldivian Legal System

The Maldives follows a civil-law tradition shaped by Islamic jurisprudence. Unlike common-law systems, it does not rely heavily on live witness testimony or jury trials. Instead, judicial proceedings center on documentary evidence and written statements submitted by the parties. Judges take an active, inquisitorial role, weighing the documentary record to reach verdicts. While witnesses may be called, their oral testimony carries less decisive weight than in adversarial systems.