Procedure

Informal and formal systems may be linked procedurally. For example, many justice systems create mechanisms by which parties can appeal decisions made by the informal sector to courts in the formal sector. For example, in Tanzania community-level arbitration tribunals settle many cases. The tribunals are managed by local officials who are not part of the judiciary, but decisions may be appealed to the formal courts. The formal sector also may incorporate procedural characteristics from the informal sector, such as more public participation and less legalistic procedures, in order to increase accessibility.