La Tradición Jurídica Puertorriqueña: ¿Civil O Anglosajona? (The Puerto Rican Law Tradition: Is it Spanish Civil Law or American Common Law?)

Abstract

Spanish Abstract: El carácter de la tradición jurídica puertorriqueña es uno de los temas más debatidos por los miembros de la profesión y comentaristas académicos en la isla. Este ensayo describe el debate y concluye que las características que definen una tradición jurídica apuntan a que el sistema puertorriqueño se basa en parte en elementos substantivos derivados de la tradición civilista española, pero que opera a base de principios del componente Law norteamericano. Por lo tanto, el sistema de derecho es uno verdaderamente híbrido: es un sistema civilista que opera a base de principios del common Law o uno anglosajón que aplica derecho substantivo civilista.

English Abstract: Whether the Puerto Rican law tradition is based on the principles of Spanish civil law or American common law is one of the most debated topics among Puerto Rican legal scholars. This essay, written in Spanish, describes the debate and argues that while some of Puerto Rico's substantive law is derived from the Spanish civil law tradition, the main characteristics of the current Puerto Rican legal system is based on American common law principles. Also, it describes the inherent contradiction in the fact that, in an effort to affirm its civil law character, the Puerto Rican judiciary has adopted the common law tradition. Thus, the Puerto Rican legal system is a true hybrid: it is either a common law jurisdiction that applies substantive civil law or a civil law system that operates based on principles of the American common law tradition.

Note: Downloadable document is in Spanish.