Comparative Study Application of Amicus curiae (Friends of The Court) In Criminal Courts In Indonesia and The United States

Hafidz Akbar Ghiffary, Lisa Umami

Abstract


Amicus Curiae (friend of the court) refers to a third party, not directly involved in litigation, who voluntarily offers legal opinions or insights relevant to a case in order to assist the court in its deliberations. This practice has long been recognized and systematically regulated in common law jurisdictions, particularly in the United States. In contrast, Indonesia—operating under a civil law system—has begun to incorporate the use of Amicus Curiae in several criminal cases, despite the absence of formal and standardized procedural rules. This legal study aims to analyze the application of Amicus Curiae in the Indonesian context and to compare its implementation in the criminal justice systems of Indonesia and the United States. Employing a normative and comparative juridical approach, this research is grounded in normative legal methodology and relies primarily on secondary data obtained through comprehensive literature review and presented systematically. The study identifies two key findings: first, although Indonesia lacks explicit legal provisions regulating Amicus Curiae, its application has been permitted in certain criminal cases based on the authority granted under Article 5(1) of Law No. 48 of 2009 on Judicial Power; second, in contrast to the United States, Indonesia does not possess a codified framework that clearly governs the submission and evaluation of Amicus Curiae briefs. In light of these findings, this paper argues for the urgent need to develop standardized legal guidelines for Amicus Curiae in Indonesia, in order to ensure consistency, transparency, and legal certainty within the criminal justice process.

Keywords: Amicus Curiae; Civil Law System; Common Law System.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aditya, Zaka Firma. “Judicial Consistency Dalam Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Tentang Pengujian Undang-Undang Penodaan Agama.” Jurnal Konstitusi 17, no. 1 (May 2020): 080. https://doi.org/10.31078/jk1714.

Ali, M. Hatta. Peradilan Sederhana, Cepat, & Biaya Ringan Menuju Keadilan Restoratif. Bandung: PT Alumni, 2012.

Anwar, Yesmil. Pembaruan Hukum Pidana: Reformasi Hukum. Grasindo, 2008.

Atmasasmita, Romli. Sistem Peradilan Pidana Kontemporer. Bandung: PT Rafika Aditama, 2010.

Aulia, Fadil, and Muchlas Rastra Samara Muksin. “The Position of Amicus Curiae under the Indonesian Law of Evidence.” Jurnal Media Hukum 27, no. 2 (2020). https://doi.org/10.18196/jmh.20200152.

Aulia, Farihan, and Sholahuddin Al-Fatih. “Perbandingan Sistem Hukum Common Law, Civil Law Dan Islamic Law Dalam Perspektif Sejarah Dan Karakteristik Berpikir.” Legality: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum 25, no. 1 (2017): 98–113.

Ayu Pralampita, Linda. “Kedudukan Amicus Curiae Dalam Sistem Peradilan Di Indonesia.” Jurnal Lex Renaissance 5, no. 3 (July 2020). https://doi.org/10.20885/JLR.vol5.iss3.art4.

Bogdan, Michel. Pengantar Perbandingan Sistem Hukum. Nusamedia, 2019.

Cruz, Peter De. Perbandingan Sistem Hukum, Translated by Narulita Yusron. Bandung: Nusamedia, 2017.

Friedman, Lawrence M. American Law: An Introduction, Trans by Wishnu Basuki. Jakarta: PT Tatanusa, 2001.

Gao, Henry Shuchao. “Amicus Curiae Briefs in the WTO Dispute Settlement System: Theory and Practice.” China Rights Forum: The Journal of Human Rights in China 11 (2004): 388–416.

Hartono, Sunaryati. Penelitian Hukum Di Indonesia Pada Akhir Abad Ke-20. Bandung: Alumni, 1994.

Ishaq, Ishaq. Metode Penelitian Hukum Dan Penulisan Skripsi, Tesis, Serta Disertasi. Bandung: Alfabeta, 2017.

Jeumpa, Ida Keumala. “Contempt of Court: Suatu Perbandingan Antara Berbagai Sistem Hukum.” Kanun Jurnal Ilmu Hukum 16, no. 1 (2014): 147–76.

Kochevar, Steven. “Amici Curiae in Civil Law Jurisdictions.” Yale LJ 122 (2012): 1653. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.5167/uclivre-102682.

Krislov, Samuel. “The Amicus Curiae Brief: From Friendship to Advocacy.” Yale LJ 72 (1962): 694. https://doi.org/http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13051/14846.

Krisnalita, Louisa Yesami, Mutiarany Mutiarany, Grace Sharon, and Ani Munirah Mohamad. “The Legal Position of Amicus Curiae’s Opinion on Criminal Judicial Processes in Indonesia.” Justitia Jurnal Hukum 6, no. 1 (2022). https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.57185/joss.v4i3.440.

Kusumohamidjojo, Budiono. Perbandingan Hukum Kontrak (Comparative Contract Law). Bandung: Mandar Maju, 2015.

M Yahya Harahap. Hukum Acara Perdata: Tentang Gugatan, Persidangan, Penyitaan, Pembuktian, Dan Putusan Pengadilan. Jakarta: Sinar Garfika, 2017.

Ma’ruf, Nia Juniawati. “Kedudukan Amicus Curiae Dalam Penyelesaian Tindak Pidana Pencemaran Nama Baik Di Pengadilan (Studi Kasus Putusan Nomor 1269/Pid. B/2009/Pn. Tng).” Universitas Islam Indonesia, 2018. https://dspace.uii.ac.id/handle/123456789/6782.

Malik, Rizal Hussein Abdul, Antonius Sidik Maryono, and Pramono Suko Legowo. “Penerapan Amicus Curiae Dalam Pemeriksaan Perkara Di Pengadilan Negeri Tanggerang.” Soedirman Law Review 4, no. 2 (2022). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.20884/1.slr.2022.4.2.189.

Manurung, M Yusuf, and Juli Hantoro. “Hakim Tolak Amicus Curiae KontraS Untuk Novel Baswedan.” Tempo, 2020.

Marzuki, Peter Mahmud, and M S Sh. Pengantar Ilmu Hukum. Prenada Media, 2021.

Nabila, Ilma Aulia, Elis Rusmiati, and Imamulhadi Imamulhadi. “Amicus Curiae Sebagai Bentuk Peran Serta Lembaga Swadaya Masyarakat Dalam Penegakan Hukum Pidana Lingkungan Hidup.” Widya Yuridika 4, no. 2 (n.d.): 550011. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31328/wy.v4i2.2336.

Nursobah, Asep. “Melalui Panitera MA, Koalisi Masyarakat Sipil Serahkan Amicus Curiae.” Mahkamah Agung RI, 2022.

Perry, H W, and Patrick Keyzer. “Human Rights Issues in Constitutional Courts: Why Amici Curiae Are Important in the US, and What Australia Can Learn from the US Experience.” Law in Context 37, no. 1 (2020): 66–98. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.26826/law-in-context.v37i1.127.

Prasetyo, Teguh, and Abdul Halim Barkatullah. Filsafat, Teori, & Ilmu Hukum. Jakarta: Rajagarafindo Persada, 2012.

Ramadhan. “Amicus Curiae’ Dari KontraS Yang Ditolak Hakim Dalam Kasus Penyerangan Novel Baswedan,” 2021.

Ramadhan, Choky. “Konvergensi Civil Law Dan Common Law Di Indonesia Dalam Penemuan Dan Pembentukan Hukum.” Mimbar Hukum-Fakultas Hukum Universitas Gadjah Mada 30, no. 2 (2018): 213–29. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.29303/ulrev.v4i2.126.

Rizaldi, Muhammad, and Sri B Praptadina. “Menakar Partisipasi Publik Dalam Mengawasi Kinerja Aparat Penegak Hukum Pada Persidangan Pidana.” Jurnal Peradilan Indonesia Teropong 6 (2017).

Salmande, Ali. “Dasar Hukum Sahabat Pengadilan (Amicus Curiae) Di Indonesia.” Hukum Online, 2011.

Saputra, Refki. “Refleksi Peran Kantor Penghubung Komisi Yudisial Dan Partisipasi Masyarakat Dalam Pengawasan Peradilan Di Indonesia.” Peran Partisipasi Publik Dalam Upaya Pembenahan Pengadilan Di Indonesia 6 (2018): 17–29. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33369/ubelaj.6.2.114-132.

Siti, Aminah. “Menjadi Sahabat Keadilan: Panduan Menyusun Amicus Brief.” The Indonesian Legal Resource Center (ILRC), 2014. https://mitrahukum.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Amicus-Brief.pdf.

Soares, Cesaltina Angela, and I Made Agus Mahendra Iswara. “Amicus Curiae In The Criminal Evidence System In Indonesia.” Sociological Jurisprudence Journal 2, no. 1 (2019): 67–72. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.22225/scj.2.1.1002.67-72.

Soeparman, Parman. Pengaturan Hak Mengajukan Upaya Hukum Peninjauan Kembali Dalam Perkara Pidana Bagi Korban Kejahatan. Refika Aditama, 2007.

Suherman, Ade Maman. Pengantar Perbandingan Sistem Hukum, Civil Law, Common Law, Hukum Islam. Jakarta: Rajagarafindo Persada, 2004.

Sukinta. “Konsep Dan Praktik Pelaksanaan Amicus Curiae Dalam Sistem Peradilan Pidana Indonesia.” Administrative Law and Governance Journal 4, no. 1 (2021): 89–98. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.14710/alj.v4i1.89%20-%2098.

Supriyanto. “Perkembangan Sistem Peradilan Pidana.” Jurnal Wacana Hukum 2, no. 4 (2003). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.33061/wh.v2i4.616.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.20884/1.jih.2025.11.2.628

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.



JURNAL IDEA HUKUM (ISSN Online: 2442-7241 | ISSN Print: 2442-7454) is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

Indexed by:

Crossref logo  DOAJ has had a makeover and we hope you like the result! – DOAJ Blog  Sinta, Scopus ala Indonesia dari Kemenristekdikti – STIE Lhokseumawe