Ottoman Nizamiye Courts

Beginning in the latter half of the nineteenth century, the Nizamiye Courts (also written Nizami) were a secular court system introduced within the Ottoman Empire during the Tanzimat era. This court system was administered under the Ottoman Ministry of Justice. Although secular, the Mecelle (the Ottoman version of codified Sharia) was eventually applied to the courts. This court system drew much influence from French models at the time. These courts enabled the further growth of legal pluralism within Ottoman jurisprudence.