The Strengthening the Institutionalization of Customary Law in Indonesia’s Judicial System: An Integrative Legal Framework Approach

https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v14i1.1936

Authors

  • Deasy Mariana Ma’ruf Universitas Jendral Soedirman, Indonesia
  • Hibnu Nugroho Jendral Soedirman University, Indonesia
  • Kuat Puji Prayitno Jendral Soedirman University, Indonesia
  • Setya Wahyudi Jendral Soedirman University, Indonesia

Keywords:

customary dispute resolution, institutional strengthening, legal pluralism, restorative justice

Abstract

This study explores the institutional strengthening of customary law within Indonesia’s pluralistic judicial system, focusing its integration across key legal areas, including criminal law, civil law, and agrarian regulations. It clarifies the legal foundations supporting the recognition of customary law, from constitutional mandates to the concept of living law in the new Criminal Code, while analyzing the strategic roles of customary institutions in community-level dispute resolution. The research identifies structural and regulatory obstacles to their integration into the state justice system, such as jurisdictional conflicts, modernization pressures, and the lack of formal enforceability for customary decisions. Using a normative juridical method with statute, conceptual, and comparative approaches, and the study demonstrates that customary institutions provide restorative, culturally grounded mechanisms that complement formal adjudication in both civil disputes and criminal matters. The novelty of this research lies in its proposed operational model for integrating customary law into the formal judicial system. The findings reveal a systemic gap where constitutional recognition fails to translate into procedural enforceability, triggering a legitimacy crisis in local dispute resolution. Moreover, the study reveals that the fragmented nature of customary mechanisms, lacking a standardized integration pattern, limits the potential for restorative justice of customary law to reduce the burden on formal courts. This article argues that reinforcing customary law across the spectrum to contribute to a more contextually responsive and socially legitimate judicial system.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Akbar, Muhammad et al. “The Progressive Legal Perspective Of Legal Justice In Customary Dispute Resolution Related To Natural Resources.” Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan 11, no. 2 (2023): 226–36.

Alting, Husein. Dinamika Hukum Dalam Pengakuan Dan Perlindungan Hak Masyarakat Hukum Adat Atas Tanah. Yogyakarta: LaksBang PRESSindo, 2010.

Anjani, Diva Rafi et al. “Customary Land Conflicts Between Dayak Indigenous Law And State Law In Indonesia.” Awang Long Law Review 8, no. 2 (2026): 654–59.

Ardiansyah, Deri et al. “Formulasi RPP Pelaksanaan Pidana Adat Sebagai Upaya Harmonisasi Penerapan Hukum Adat Guna Mewujudkan Kepastian Hukum.” Jurnal Hukum Dan HAM Wicarana 3, no. 1 (2024): 11–22. https://doi.org/10.57123/wicarana.v3i1.64.

Aurelia, Jessica et al. “Tantangan Dan Potensi Peradilan Adat Sebagai Access to Justice Melalui Pengakuan Hukum Adat Dalam UUD 1945.” Jurnal Ilmiah Wahana Pendidikan 10, no. 8 (2021): 167–86.

Azis, Pahrudin et al. “Perbandingan Lembaga Penyelesaian Sengketa: Litigasi Dan Non-Litigasi.” Qanuniya : Jurnal Ilmu Hukum 1, no. 2 (2024): 11–21. https://doi.org/10.15575/qanuniya.v1i2.896.

Bayo, Relexi et al. “Pengakuan Masyarakat Adat Dalam Peraturan Perundang Undangan Di Indonesia.” Jurnal Ilmu Hukum Wijaya Putra 1, no. 1 (2023): 1–11. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.38156/jihwp.v1i1.87.

Dina Rahmita et al. “Analisis Komparatif Sistem Hukum Adat Dan Hukum Positif Dalam Harmonisasi Kebijakan Publik Di Indonesia.” Presidensial: Jurnal Hukum, Administrasi Negara, Dan Kebijakan Publik 2, no. 1 (2025): 107–20. https://doi.org/10.62383/presidensial.v2i1.456.

Ehrlich, Eugen. Fundamental Principles of the Sociology of Law, Trans. Walter L. Moll. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1936.

Emilson, Nur Husni et al. “Penguatan Hukum Adat Dan Kelembagaan Adat Dalam Penyelesaian Masalah Hukum Berdasarkan Keadilan Restoratif Ditinjau Dari Perspektif Hukum Dan Hak Asasi Manusia.” Jurnal Kepastian Hukum Dan Keadilan 4, no. 2 (2022): 148–57. https://doi.org/10.32502/khk.v4i2.5559.

Erniwati, Erniwati et al. “Customary Sanctions for Strengthening Moral Order and Social Harmony in South Sumatra Communities.” De Jure: Jurnal Hukum Dan Syar’iah 17, no. 2 (2025): 417–37. https://doi.org/10.18860/j-fsh.v17i2.32262.

Febrianty, Yenny et al. “The Limitations of Living Law in Indonesian Criminal Law Reform: An Effort To Realize Justice.” Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan 11, no. 2 (2023): 196–208. https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v11i2.1232.

Gunawan, Jasardi, and Irawansyah Irawansyah. “Eksistensi Kelembagaan Lembaga Adat Tana Samawa (LATS) Dalam Penolakan Rancangan Peraturan Daerah (RANPERDA) Masyarakat Hukum Adat Di Sumbawa.” JUPE : Jurnal Pendidikan Mandala 7, no. 1 (2022): 162–68. https://doi.org/10.58258/jupe.v7i1.3001.

Hadikusuma, Hilman. Pengantar Ilmu Hukum Adat Indonesia. Bandung: Mandar Maju, 1992.

Handayani, Tri Astuti, and Andrianto Prabowo. “Analisis Hukum Pidana Adat Dalam Hukum Pidana Nasional.” Jurnal Hukum Ius Publicum 5, no. 1 (2024): 89–105. https://doi.org/10.55551/jip.v5i1.95.

Harahap, Rabiah Z. “The Role of Customary Institutions in the Enforcement of Customary Law in the Modern Era.” Fox Justi : Jurnal Ilmu Hukum 16, no. 01 (2026): 145–52.

Hariri, Achmad, and Basuki Babussalam. “Legal Pluralism: Concept, Theoretical Dialectics, And Its Existence In Indonesia.” Walisongo Law Review (Walrev) 6, no. 2 (2024): 146–70. https://doi.org/10.21580/walrev.2024.6.2.25566.

———. “Legal Pluralism: Concept, Theoretical Dialectics, And Its Existence In Indonesia.” Walisongo Law Review (Walrev) 6, no. 2 (2024): 146–170.

Husain, Moh Fajrin Ky Husain et al. “Dinamika Penyelesaian Konflik Air Oleh Lembaga Adat Pitungotahigi Di Desa Bora Kecamatan Sigi Kota Kabupaten Sigi.” JSIP: Jurnal Studi Inovasi Pemerintahan 1, no. 1 (2024): 75–90.

Ismail, Dian Ekawaty et al. “The Concept of Revitalizing Traditional Institutions in the Criminal Law System to Realize Restorative Justice.” Jambura Law Review 5, no. 02 (2023): 220–34. https://doi.org/10.33756/jlr.v5i2.11682.

Jayantiari, I Gusti Agung Mas Rwa et al. “The Rights of Customary Law Communities to Resources: The Relationship of Coexistence of State Law and Customary Law.” Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan 13, no. 1 (2021): 188–98.

Maulana Halim Putra et al. “The Position of Customary Criminal Law in Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code.” International Journal of Law and Society 2, no. 3 (2025): 170–79. https://doi.org/10.62951/ijls.v2i3.686.

Mokgadi, Lindie. “Access To Justice In Plural Legal Systems: A Case Study Of Customary And State Law Integration In Sub-Saharan Africa.” Journal of Law, Policy and Global Development X, no. X (2025): 36–48.

Murniwati, Rahmi. “Eksistensi Peradilan Adat Dalam Penyelesaian Sengketa Di Sumatera Barat.” UNES Journal of Swara Justisia 7, no. 3 (2023): 1116–24. https://doi.org/10.31933/ujsj.v7i3.417.

Muttaqin, A Imam Al et al. “Legal Pluralism in Kalimantan : A Study of the Dual Application of Criminal Law and Customary Law in Dayak Society.” East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (EAJMR) 4, no. 7 (2025): 3289–3304.

Nurhasan, and Bunyamin. “The Role of Local Wisdom in Realizing The Principle of Environmental Sustainability Principles in Indonesia.” Litigasi 26, no. 1 (2025): 382–408. https://journal.unpas.ac.id/index.php/litigasi/article/view/19691.

Peter Mahmud Marzuki. Penelitian Hukum. Jakarta: Kencana, 2017.

Pupu Sriwulan Sumaya. “Keadilan Restoratif Dalam Sistem Hukum Adat Di Indonesia.” Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, Humaniora Dan Politik 5, no. 2 (2024): 1136–43. https://doi.org/10.38035/jihhp.v5i2.3308.

Putri, Nella Sumika. “Memikirkan Kembali Unsur ‘Hukum Yang Hidup Dalam Masyarakat’ Dalam Pasal 2 Rkuhp Ditinjau Perspektif Asas Legalitas.” Indonesia Criminal Law Review 1, no. 1 (2021): 60–72. https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/iclrAvailableat:https://scholarhub.ui.ac.id/iclr/vol1/iss1/5.

Rahmasari, Betha et al. “Interseksi Hukum Dan Ekonomi: Analisis Komprehensif Terhadap Dinamika Regulasi Dan Dampaknya Terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi.” Muhammadiyah Law Review 7, no. 2 (2023): 61–77. https://doi.org/10.24127/mlr.v7i2.2767.

Rasta, Dewa Made. “Tindak Pidana Adat Di Bali Dan Sanksi Adatnya.” Yustita 13, no. 2 (2019): 1–11. https://ojs.unr.ac.id/index.php/yustitia/article/view/398?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

Ruhly Kesuma Dinata, M. et al. “Good Governance and Local Wisdom in Law Enforcement.” Volksgeist: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum Dan Konstitusi 5, no. 2 (2022): 227–42. https://doi.org/10.24090/volksgeist.v5i2.6740.

Samosir, Djamanat et al. “Relevance Of The Establishment Of Customary Justice In The Justice Legal System In Indonesia.” Jurnal Hukum Justice 1, no. 1 (2023): 30–39.

Setiadi, Tolib. Intisari Hukum Adat Indonesia Dalam Kajian Kepustakaan. Bandung: Alfabeta, 2008.

Simarmata, Rikardo. “Kedudukan Dan Peran Peradilan Adat Pasca-Unifikasi Sistem Peradilan Formal.” Undang: Jurnal Hukum 4, no. 2 (2021): 281–308. https://doi.org/10.22437/ujh.4.2.281-308.

Soekanto, Soerjono. Hukum Adat Di Indonesia. Jakarta: Raja Grafindo Persada, 2007.

Syafii, Ahmad. Sistem Keamanan Dan Ketertiban Masyarakat Berbasis Teknologi Informasi. Yogyakarta: Deepublish, 2020.

Ulya, Zaki, and Meta Suryani. “Re-Structuring Institutional Panglima Laot As Customary Sea Court Judge in Aceh.” Jurnal RechtsVinding 12, no. 3 (2023): 443–58.

Utama, Tody Sasmitha Jiwa. “Hukum Yang Hidup’ Dalam Rancangan Kitab Undang- Undang Hukum Pidana (Kuhp): Antara Akomodasi Dan Negasi.” Masalah-Masalah Hukum 49, no. 1 (2020): 14–25.

Utomo, Setyo. Nilai-Nilai Kearifan Lokal Hukum Adat Dalam Hukum Tanah Nasional. Pontianak: Universitas Panca Bhakti, 2018.

Wadjo, Hadibah Z. “Penerapan Hukum Adat Dalam Penyelesaian Perkara Anak.” Jurnal Pembangunan Hukum Indonesia 5, no. 1 (2020): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.7176/jlpg/93-17.

Widjajanto, Agus et al. “Decolonising Restorative Justice in Indonesia : A Comparative Study across Customary Law Traditions.” Legality: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 33, no. 2 (2025): 470–92.

Yoserwan, Yoserwan. “Eksistensi Hukum Pidana Adat Dalam Hukum Pidana Nasional Setelah Pengesahan Kuhp Baru.” UNES Law Review 5, no. 4 (2023): 1999–2013. https://doi.org/10.31933/unesrev.v5i4.577.

Zain, Mochamad Adib. “Peran Desa Adat Dalam Merumuskan Dan Mengimplementasikan Ketentuan Pidana Berasal Dari Hukum Yang Hidup Dalam Masyarakat Sebagaimana Diatur Dalam Kuhp Baru.” Urnal Rechtsvinding: Media Pembinaan Hukum Nasional 12, no. 1 (2023): 22–35. https://doi.org/https://dx.doi.org/10.33331/rechtsvinding.v12i1.1101.

Published

24-04-2026

How to Cite

Deasy Mariana Ma’ruf, D. M. M., Hibnu Nugroho, H. N., Kuat Puji Prayitno, K. P. P., & Setya Wahyudi, S. W. (2026). The Strengthening the Institutionalization of Customary Law in Indonesia’s Judicial System: An Integrative Legal Framework Approach. Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan, 14(1), 90–106. https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v14i1.1936

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2026): Jurnal IUS Kajian Hukum dan Keadilan

Section

Articles
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2026 Deasy Mariana Ma’ruf, Hibnu Nugroho, Kuat Puji Prayitno, Setya Wahyudi

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

The authors hold the copyright. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal. How ever the author should affirming that the article is their original work should accompany the article via online submission form. Authors are permitted to share a Preprint of their article anywhere at any time. Link Declaration of originality (PDF)