ALBANIAN CUSTOMARY LAW, ANGLO-SAXON LAW AND THE OLD WEST: HANDLING THE LAW ON YOUR OWN

Abstract

Customary law in Albania, Anglo-Saxon law, and the legal system that prevailed in the Old West are all examples of legal systems in which individuals were, to a certain extent, expected to manage the law on their own. Customary law in Albania, commonly referred to as Kanun, is an ancient body of laws that has been verbally transmitted from generation to generation for hundreds of years. Under this system, each person was responsible for their own disagreements and was supposed to find a way to resolve them on their own, whether by mediation, negotiation, or even resorting to violence if that was the only option. The Kanun placed relatively little attention on the use of formal legal systems, instead placing an emphasis on the values of honor, family, and vengeance. Individuals were also expected to take responsibility for resolving disputes on their own under Anglo-Saxon law, which originated in England during the early Middle Ages. Despite this, however, there was a greater emphasis placed on the role that the king and the court system played in the process of upholding the law. Under this legal framework, individuals were afforded the right to a trial conducted by their contemporaries, and the king was accountable for both the appointment of judges and the implementation of their rulings. In the United States, another example of a legal system in which individuals were expected to handle the law on their own is found in the time period known as the Old West. Because there was a dearth of formal law enforcement and judicial institutions during this time in the history of the United States, individuals frequently had to take matters into their own hands in order to safeguard both their person and their possessions. There was a widespread practice of vigilante justice, and disagreements were typically settled through duels or gunfights.In spite of the fact that these legal systems may appear antiquated in comparison to contemporary legal systems, they serve to demonstrate the significance of human responsibility and self-reliance in the process of conflict resolution. However, they also underscore the disadvantages of depending too heavily on violence and revenge to resolve problems, as well as the necessity of formal legal institutions in order to create a system of justice that is fair and unbiased for all parties involved.