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This study, entitled "Value Added Tax Fairness in Samarinda City," analyzes the fairness of the 11% VAT rate under Law No. 7 of 2021 using socio-legal methods. The results show that although the single 11% VAT rate meets the principles of legality and horizontal justice because it applies equally to all consumers, this policy is not entirely fair from a vertical justice perspective. The regressive nature of the consumption tax tends to place a greater burden on low-income households. Field findings reveal that MSMEs feel burdened because the rate does not take into account their economic capacity, coupled with a lack of understanding of the input and output tax credit mechanisms. Administrative complexity and minimal education from tax authorities contribute to low compliance rates. This study recommends the implementation of a more flexible tiered VAT rate, strengthening tax education, providing technical assistance, and simplifying reporting for MSMEs to improve compliance and create more equitable tax justice.  

The president's prerogative is a form of power inherent in the president's position as head of state. One form of this prerogative is the granting of abolition, which is the abolition of legal proceedings against a person or group of people who are or will undergo judicial proceedings. However, in its implementation, the president's authority to grant abolition is not absolute, but is limited by the applicable legal provisions and constitutional mechanisms. This study aims to analyze the limits of the president's power in exercising the prerogative in the form of abolition and review the juridical aspects that govern the procedure and its considerations. The research method used is normative juridical research with a statutory approach and a conceptual approach. Data sources are obtained from relevant laws and regulations, legal literature, and scientific works. The results of the study show that the president's authority in granting abolition is regulated in Article 14 paragraph (2) of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, which requires the president to pay attention to the considerations of the House of Representatives (DPR). Thus, this authority is not an absolute prerogative, but is limited by the principle of checks and balances in the Indonesian constitutional system. The conclusion of this study emphasizes that the restriction is a form of constitutional supervision over the use of presidential power to remain in line with the principles of the rule of law and constitutional democracy

This study examines the urgency of regulating the nominal limit of restitution in criminal case resolution through a restorative justice approach from the perspective of legal certainty. Restorative justice in Indonesia is governed by PERKAP No. 8 of 2021, PERJA No. 15 of 2020, and PERMA No. 1 of 2024. However, none of these regulations explicitly stipulate the nominal limit of compensation payable to victims. The absence of such a provision potentially leads to legal uncertainty and unfair practices, particularly in cases where resolution depends on the offender's ability to pay restitution. This research adopts a normative juridical method using statutory and conceptual approaches. The study aims to analyze the necessity of regulating nominal limits and how such limits should be determined under the prevailing legal framework. The findings reveal that the lack of clear restitution limits hampers the effective implementation of restorative justice, undermines fairness, and fails to adequately protect victims' rights. Legal regulation of compensation limits is necessary to ensure legal certainty, prevent abuse of power, and uphold justice in the victim recovery process. The study recommends that the state promptly establish clear restitution limits through revision of existing regulations or formulation of new ones, taking into account the principles of justice, the offender’s financial capacity, and the proportionality of the victim's losses.

This article examines the relationship between Islamic politics and democracy in contemporary Indonesia. As the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, Indonesia presents a distinctive dynamic in the interaction between Islamic values and modern democratic systems. This study aims to analyze how Islamic political actors, including political parties and religious organizations, interact with and adapt to democratic practices in the post-Reform era. The research employs a qualitative method through a literature review of Indonesian academic journals published within the last five years. The findings indicate that Islamic politics in Indonesia is plural and dynamic, showing an adaptive tendency toward democratic principles. Islamic values such as deliberation (shura), justice, and equality are considered compatible with democratic ideals. However, Islamic politics also faces contemporary challenges, including the politicization of religion, identity politics, and social polarization. The article concludes that the relationship between Islamic politics and democracy in Indonesia is dynamic and largely adaptive within the framework of the Pancasila state.

Criminal acts of assault against children constitute a serious violation of human rights that requires optimal legal protection by the state. As legal subjects, children are entitled to security, protection from violence, and guarantees for proper growth and development, as mandated by Pancasila, the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, and relevant child protection legislation. This study aims to conduct a juridical analysis of the legal considerations applied by judges in Decision Number 83/Pid.Sus/2020/PN.Kot concerning the criminal offense of assault committed against a child, as well as to assess their conformity with criminal law principles, child protection law, and the objectives of sentencing. This research employs a normative legal research method using statutory, conceptual, and case approaches, supported by primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials. The findings reveal that although the legal basis applied refers to Law Number 35 of 2014 on Child Protection, the judicial considerations have not been comprehensively formulated, as they insufficiently incorporate sociological, criminological, and child-centered protection perspectives. Consequently, the sentence imposed is relatively lenient and fails to fully reflect the objectives of punishment, particularly deterrence and sustainable protection for child victims. Therefore, strengthening the quality of judicial reasoning and ensuring the optimal application of relevant legal provisions are essential to achieve legal certainty, justice, and effective protection for children as victims of violent crimes.

The steady increase in divorce cases in Indonesia suggests that many couples begin married life without adequate emotional, financial, or intellectual readiness. In response, the government encourages premarital education as a preventive initiative designed to equip future spouses with the skills needed to manage potential domestic difficulties. Viewed through the lens of maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah, this initiative supports the essential goals of Islamic law, namely the promotion of well-being at the personal, family, community, and national levels. This study argues that premarital education reflects the core principles of Islamic legal ethics and functions as a normative expression of the sharī‘ah. Using a normative-theoretical legal framework combined with a maqāṣid al-sharī‘ah analysis, the research engages Qur’anic and Hadith texts, classical and modern fiqh discussions, uṣūl al-fiqh, Indonesian regulatory provisions on premarital counseling, and scholarly works on Islamic Family Law. The results show that major triggers of marital breakdown emotional instability, financial pressure, recurring disputes, and limited understanding of marital responsibilities can be reduced through structured premarital education. These programs strengthen spiritual awareness, emotional resilience, communication skills, conflict-resolution abilities, and economic management. Consequently, premarital education becomes a strategic mechanism for nurturing harmonious households and reinforcing the framework of Islamic Family Law in Indonesia, positioning it as a sharī‘ah oriented tool vital for contemporary social welfare.  

Discretion exercised by election management bodies constitutes an administrative instrument that is functionally necessary to prevent stagnation in electoral processes under conditions of legal vacuum, normative ambiguity, or extraordinary circumstances. However, in practice, discretionary decisions often generate public concern and expose election officials to the risk of criminalization, particularly when such discretion is assessed through a formalistic and result oriented criminal law paradigm. This study aims to analyze the construction of criminal liability of election administrators for the use of discretion in conditions of electoral stagnation, by examining the paradigm shift from the old Indonesian Criminal Code to the new Criminal Code and its implications for criminal law enforcement under the Criminal Procedure Code. This research employs a normative legal method using statutory, conceptual, and case approaches. The findings reveal that the old Criminal Code tended to facilitate policy criminalization by emphasizing formal violations and objective consequences, whereas the new Criminal Code introduces a substantive approach centered on subjective fault, official purpose, and rationality of action. Nevertheless, the lack of synchronization with the Criminal Procedure Code which remains focused on conventional evidentiary standards causes discretionary actions of election administrators to remain legally ambiguous. Therefore, harmonization between substantive criminal law and criminal procedure law, along with a transformation in law enforcement reasoning, is essential to ensure that discretion exercised by election officials is assessed proportionally, contextually, and in line with democratic principles.

Family conflict is an inherent aspect of marital and domestic life and entails complex legal, psychological, and social implications. In the practice of Islamic family law in Indonesia, the resolution of family disputes remains predominantly litigation-oriented, often resulting in the termination of legal relationships, particularly divorce, without adequate attention to the psychological restoration of the parties involved. This article aims to examine family counseling as an instrument for conflict resolution within Islamic family law through a normative legal research approach grounded in legal psychology. The study employs conceptual and legal-psychological approaches, utilizing primary legal sources such as the Qur’an and classical and contemporary Islamic jurisprudence, as well as secondary sources including scholarly books and academic journal articles on family law and legal psychology. The findings indicate that family counseling possesses strong normative legitimacy within Islamic family law through the principles of iṣlāḥ, the mechanism of ḥakam, and the orientation toward public welfare (maṣlaḥah). From a legal-psychological perspective, conflict resolution that accounts for emotional dimensions and procedural justice proves more effective in enhancing legal acceptance and compliance. The integration of family counseling as a restorative instrument does not replace judicial authority but complements it by strengthening the effectiveness of Islamic family law in addressing contemporary family conflicts in a just, humane, and sustainable manner.

The abuse of authority by public officials within Indonesia’s governmental administration has become an increasingly urgent issue to address. Such misconduct undermines the fundamental principles of good governance  including transparency, accountability, and justice which are essential for ensuring efficient and effective government operations. This study aims to conduct an in-depth analysis of the forms of abuse of authority by public officials, the factors influencing such behavior, and its impact on the effectiveness of governance and public trust. The research employs a normative approach with a prescriptive legal method, analyzing legislation related to the abuse of authority as well as a case-based approach to explore the implementation of authority by public officials in governmental practice.The findings indicate that abuse of authority may occur in various forms, such as exceeding the limits of granted power, conflating different authorities, or acting arbitrarily for personal or group interests  all of which contradict the principle of legality governing governmental actions. Moreover, such practices negatively affect the quality of public services and tarnish the image of governmental institutions. The study also finds that although Law No. 30 of 2014 on Government Administration provides a clear legal framework, its implementation remains hindered by weak internal and external oversight systems. Therefore, this research recommends strengthening more effective supervision mechanisms, enhancing transparency in administrative decision-making processes, and involving the public in monitoring efforts to ensure that public officials exercise their authority in accordance with established objectives in pursuit of a clean and just government.

Corruption cases in Indonesia often involve the recovery of state assets, including properties encumbered by mortgages (hak tanggungan). This research conducts a normative legal analysis on how current law treats such pledged assets when they become objects of state confiscation in corruption crimes. We examine Indonesian legislation (especially the Tipikor Act, TPPU Act, and Mortgage Act), judicial practice, and principles of justice and legal certainty. The Bank Perumda BPR Purworejo case is used as an illustrative case study: here fictitious loans and misused collateral led to state losses of hundreds of millions of rupiah, and investigators seized assets (including four mortgaged properties) as evidence. The analysis finds that existing rules inadequately protect good-faith creditors: courts have noted that a corruption verdict does not automatically erase a prior mortgage lien, and that a certified mortgage confers a preferential right equal to a judgment. In practice, however, law enforcement often seizes all assets of the convict without first verifying third-party rights, creating legal uncertainty and perceived injustice. We argue that fair outcomes require stricter safeguards for creditors (e.g. mandatory review of collateral status before seizure) and consideration of equitable principles. In conclusion, we recommend legal reforms or guidelines to balance the state’s recovery goals with protection of bona fide mortgagees, so as to uphold substantive justice while maintaining legal certainty.

This research is grounded in the enactment of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the National Criminal Code, which raises normative questions regarding the legal status of gratification within Indonesia’s anti-corruption framework. The study aims to analyze the normative position of gratification following criminal law codification and to assess its implications for evidentiary mechanisms under the Anti-Corruption Law. Employing a normative legal research method, this study applies statutory and conceptual approaches through comprehensive literature review of primary and secondary legal sources. The findings indicate that gratification remains regulated under the Anti-Corruption Law as lex specialis and is not nullified by the National Criminal Code. The reversal of the burden of proof mechanism continues to apply, although its interpretation must align with fundamental criminal law principles such as culpability and proportionality. The study concludes that systematic harmonization between both legal regimes is essential to ensure legal certainty and strengthen anti-corruption enforcement.

Changes in values in modern society have led to a shift in the meaning of love in marital relationships, from moral and spiritual commitment to momentary emotions oriented towards personal satisfaction. This shift has weakened long-term commitment and increased relational conflict within families. Islam, with its concept of marriage as mitsāqan ghalīẓā and love as amanah, offers a relevant normative framework to respond to this crisis. This study aims to examine the concept of marriage in Islam and analyze how the values of sakinah, mawaddah, and raḥmah can be solutions to the crisis of the meaning of love in modern families. The method used is a qualitative literature study, through an examination of classical and contemporary Islamic literature and scientific studies on the dynamics of modern families and relationships. The data were analyzed thematically to identify the relationship between the meaning of love, commitment, and relational conflict. The results and discussion show that reducing love to mere emotion weakens the stability of marriage, while understanding love as a spiritual and moral trust strengthens empathy, communication, and conflict resolution mechanisms. The principles of ṣabr, raḥmah, and musyawarah have proven to play an important role in maintaining the resilience of relationships. In conclusion, Islamic marriage values provide a solid and adaptive ethical foundation for building a harmonious, mature, and sustainable family amid the challenges of modernity.

The reform of Indonesia’s criminal law through Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP) marks a fundamental shift in the national criminal justice system, particularly through the formal recognition of the living law as law that lives within society. This article analyzes the correlation between living law and the principle of legality within the context of national criminal law reform. The study employs a normative juridical method with statutory, conceptual, and comparative approaches to examine how the 2023 Criminal Code seeks to balance legal certainty with substantive justice. The findings indicate that the regulation of the principle of legality in Article 1 of the KUHP remains the primary foundation for ensuring the protection of individual rights and preventing arbitrary state actions. However, the recognition of living law under Article 2 of the KUHP expands the sources of criminal law beyond written statutes to include social values living within the community, insofar as they are consistent with Pancasila, general legal principles, and human rights. The relationship between the principle of legality and living law in the 2023 KUHP is not antagonistic but rather complementary and harmonious. Living law enriches the legality principle substantively through moral and social justice dimensions, while the legality principle serves as a normative safeguard to maintain legal certainty and prevent the abuse of power. Therefore, the integration of both principles reflects a new paradigm of Indonesian criminal law that is pluralistic, just, and civilized, reaffirming the nation’s legal politics grounded in Pancasila values and the principles of a democratic rule of law.

Industrial development in Indonesia has significantly contributed to national economic growth; however, it also poses potential risks of environmental pollution when corporate waste management is not conducted properly. Environmental pollution resulting from corporate waste activities may cause harm to surrounding communities, including health problems, ecosystem degradation, as well as material and immaterial losses. In this context, the class action mechanism serves as a relevant legal instrument to collectively advocate for the rights of affected communities. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the class action mechanism in environmental pollution cases based on Decision Number 29/Pdt.G/2023/PN.Skh and to evaluate its effectiveness in providing legal protection and restoring the rights of affected communities. This research employs normative legal research using statute approach, case approach, and conceptual approach. The findings indicate that the class action mechanism in the aforementioned decision fulfilled the requirements of numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy of representation as regulated under Supreme Court Regulation (PERMA) Number 1 of 2002. Procedurally, the class action proved effective in enhancing access to justice, ensuring judicial efficiency, and strengthening the protection of the constitutional right to a good and healthy environment. However, its substantive effectiveness remains dependent on the fulfillment of formal requirements, the quality of evidence presented, and the consistent application of environmental law principles by judges. Therefore, the class action mechanism constitutes an important instrument in environmental law enforcement, yet it requires consistent regulatory support and judicial practice to achieve optimal ecological justice.

The enactment of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP) marks a historic milestone in the reform of Indonesia's criminal law system. This study examines the fundamental changes from the old Criminal Code (Wetboek van Strafrecht) to the new National Criminal Code, focusing on the paradigm shift from retributive justice to restorative justice as a form of law enforcement reform. Using a normative juridical method with a statutory and comparative approach, the study analyzes the philosophical, structural, and substantive transformation embedded in the new Criminal Code. The findings indicate that the new Criminal Code introduces significant reforms including the adoption of the dualistic theory separating criminal acts from criminal liability, the recognition of living law, the expansion of criminal subjects to include corporations, the formulation of sentencing guidelines based on restorative principles, and the integration of Pancasila values as the moral foundation of the criminal law system. The case of corruption prosecution involving the Chromebook laptop procurement at the Ministry of Education illustrates the ongoing challenges of criminal law enforcement during this transitional period. This research concludes that the transition from the old to the new Criminal Code constitutes a comprehensive legal reform that transforms not only normative substance but also the fundamental paradigm of criminal law enforcement in Indonesia

This study aims to examine the judge's considerations in rendering decisions in aggravated theft cases at the Medan District Court, with an emphasis on the balance between legal and non-legal aspects in realizing substantive justice. The issue of disparate sentencing that frequently arises is the main background of this study. The methods used are an integrated normative legal approach and an empirical legal approach. The normative approach is used to examine the provisions of Article 363 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) and the legal principles that govern the judge's considerations, while the empirical approach is carried out through direct observation of the trial process and analysis of the judge's decision. The results of the study indicate that the judge in case Number 1110/Pid. B/2025/PN Medan not only complied with legal aspects such as fulfilling the elements of the crime, evidence, and the application of the principle of legality, but also considered non-legal aspects such as the socio-economic conditions, age, and motives of the defendant. These considerations demonstrate the application of the principles of criminal individualization and proportional justice. In addition, the judge also considered moral values ​​and social benefits in his decision, which is in line with Gustav Radbruch's theory of three basic legal values: justice, legal certainty, and utility. This study concludes that the thinking patterns of judges at the Medan District Court reflect a shift toward substantive and restorative justice paradigms. It is recommended that the Supreme Court strengthen integrated sentencing guidelines to avoid disparities in sentencing and encourage the adoption of a rehabilitative approach for offenders with low economic motivations.

This study examines the juridical aspects of guardianship applications by parents to obtain permission to sell a minor’s inherited land and analyzes the judicial considerations in Decision Number 199/Pdt.P/2025/PN Blt. The research employs an empirical juridical method with a sociological legal approach. Primary data were collected through interviews and case documents at the Blitar District Court, while secondary data consist of statutes, doctrine, and related literature. Qualitative-descriptive analysis was applied to interpret the findings. The study reveals that the guardianship application process involves both administrative and judicial stages. Judges scrutinize material evidence and the probity of sale objectives, weighing important principles such as utility, legal certainty, fairness, and justice. Guardians are granted limited authority to sell a minor’s property only if it can be proven to be in the child's best interest and legal protections are assured. Recommendations include strengthening post-decision monitoring, enhancing legal outreach, improving procedural transparency, and ensuring comprehensive implementation.

Efforts to protect children in conflict with the law constitute a concrete manifestation of the state’s responsibility in implementing the principles of restorative justice. This study aims to comprehensively examine the implementation process of diversion at the Pengadilan Negeri Bukittinggi and to assess the extent to which its application achieves the primary objective of the juvenile criminal justice system, namely restoring the child’s social condition without emphasizing retribution. This research employs an empirical juridical approach by combining literature review and field research through interviews with judges, court clerks, and other relevant parties. The findings indicate that the implementation of diversion at the Pengadilan Negeri Bukittinggi has been carried out in accordance with Law Number 11 of 2012 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. The diversion process is conducted through deliberation involving the offender, the victim, their respective families, and supporting institutions under the guidance of a diversion facilitator. However, several challenges remain, including limited public understanding of the importance of restorative-based settlement, insufficient human resources with adequate competence in implementing diversion, and frequent failures in reaching agreements between offenders and victims. This study concludes that diversion in court proceedings is not merely a legal obligation but also an essential instrument in creating a more humane child-oriented justice system. Therefore, enhancing the competence of law enforcement officers and strengthening inter-agency coordination are necessary to support the sustainable success of diversion.

This study examines the distortion between civil and criminal perspectives in the legal considerations (ratio decidendi) of Judex Juris in Supreme Court Decision Number 121K/Pid.Sus/2020. The decision lacks substantial criminal law considerations regarding the alleged corruption offense. Instead, the legal reasoning focuses on the fault or negligence of company directors, particularly the exception under Article 97 of Law Number 40 of 2007 concerning Limited Liability Companies, which embodies the Business Judgment Rule doctrine. Furthermore, these considerations are distorted by tort (onrechtmatige daad) as regulated in Article 1365 of the Civil Code juncto Article 138 paragraph (1) letter b of the Company Law. This research employs a legislative approach by analyzing various legal instruments, including the 1945 Constitution, the Criminal Code, the Criminal Procedure Code, the Limited Liability Company Law, State-Owned Enterprises Law, Judicial Power Law, Supreme Court Law, and the Corruption Eradication Laws. A conceptual approach is also utilized to examine theoretical concepts concerning corporate crime, directors' liabilities, state losses, tort, negligence from criminal and civil perspectives, business judgment rules, collective collegiality principles, and formal-material classification of legislation. The data comprises primary legal materials (legislation and court decisions) and secondary legal materials (legal literature and scientific journals). Analysis is conducted qualitatively by interpreting legal principles and their relevance to the court's considerations in the decision.

This research is motivated by the phenomenon of theft committed by 15-year-old adolescents in market environments, which creates tension between criminal law enforcement and the principle of child protection in the Indonesian legal system. The study aims to analyze the legal regulations of theft under the old Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 1946), the new Criminal Code (Law No. 1 of 2023), and the Juvenile Criminal Justice System Law; to examine the criminal liability of adolescents from the perspective of criminal law theory; and to review the implementation of restorative justice and diversion. The research method used is normative legal research with statutory, conceptual, and case approaches, particularly reviewing the provisions of Article 591 of the new Criminal Code, the theory of fault, and the principle of proportionality. The results indicate that the criminal liability of children must take into account psychological limitations, maturity levels, and criminogenic factors, including the influence of the social environment. Furthermore, the mens rea element in the phrase "known or reasonably suspected" is difficult to apply in practice to transactions involving small losses, as price reasonableness can obscure indications of malicious intent. This finding affirms that imposing criminal penalties on children in cases of petty theft potentially contradicts the principles of ultimum remedium and proportionality. Therefore, law enforcement should prioritize diversion, mediation, and restorative justice approaches by involving families and communities to achieve substantive justice and prevent excessive criminalization of children.