Burmese customary law

Burmese customary law, also known as Myanmar customary law (Burmese: မြန်မာ့ဓလေ့ထုံးတမ်းဥပဒေ), is the foundational body of legal principles primarily applied to Buddhists in Myanmar, governing family matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and matrimonial rights. This legal system is not codified but evolved from ancient indigenous customs, including pre-colonial legal treatises (dhammathat), and continues to be shaped by judicial case decisions and legislative adjustments in the modern era. Myanmar is the only majority Buddhist country in the world that has developed and maintained a system of family law for Buddhists enforced by the courts. This law synthesizes indigenous customs, principles from pre-modern legal treatises (dhammathats), and the impact of British colonial rule. In contemporary Myanmar, it operates within a complex legal pluralism, coexisting with state statutory law (e.g., Myanmar Penal Code), other religious personal laws (for Muslims, Hindus, and Christians), and justice systems for various ethnic groups.