The country in brief
The country's law, area by area
Marriage, partnership and divorce
Marriage · Partnerships and cohabitation · Same-sex marriage · Religious ceremony · Wedding customs and ceremonies · Matrimonial property and inheritance · Divorce
Children, family and inheritance
Names · Adoption · Assisted reproduction · Childcare · Step-families · Inheritance
Contraception, abortion, sexuality and drugs
Contraception · Abortion · Parents: a teenager’s first relationship · Sexual orientation · Drugs and controlled substances · Alcohol and tobacco
Violence, consent and sexual offences
Consent and age of consent · Domestic violence · Female genital mutilation · Sexual offences committed abroad
Online: privacy, image, data and scams
Data protection · Privacy · Image rights · Speech and online harassment · Copyright · Identity theft · Online shopping · Romance scams
Health: pregnancy, STIs and care
Pregnancy · Mental health · Dental care · HIV and AIDS · Hepatitis B · HPV
Fundamental rights
Key points
| Constitution | Sections 4 and 5, fundamental rights and freedoms |
|---|---|
| Section 14 | Constitutional motion directly to the High Court |
| Savings clause | Pre-existing laws are protected from constitutional challenge |
| Final appeal | Judicial Committee of the Privy Council |
| Inter-American | The American Convention was denounced with effect from 1999 |
| Equal Opportunity Commission | Discrimination complaints on listed grounds |
| Section 14 motion | Direct access to the High Court without exhausting other remedies |
| Privy Council | Final appellate court |
Understanding the rules
Sections 4 and 5 of the Constitution set out fundamental rights and freedoms, enforced by a constitutional motion to the High Court under section 14, which can be brought without exhausting other remedies in appropriate cases. The Privy Council remains the final appellate court. Trinidad and Tobago denounced the American Convention on Human Rights in 1998, closing the Inter-American Court route for later events.
In practice
- Check whether the law you are challenging is saved before starting: that determines viability.
Where to go
- Equal Opportunity Commission and Tribunal.
- Office of the Ombudsman.
- Legal Aid and Advisory Authority.
Worth knowing
The savings clause shields many colonial-era laws from constitutional challenge, which is the single biggest obstacle in rights litigation here: check whether the law you are challenging is saved before starting. The savings clause is the central obstacle in rights litigation here. Establishing whether a law is saved is the first question, not the last.
The general article: Fundamental rights · Compare with another country
Advice
Sources
Whole page
- The Miscellaneous Provisions (Marriage) Act, 2017 (Act No. 8 of 2017) — Parlement de Trinidad-et-Tobago, texte de la loi, 2017
- The Domestic Violence (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act No. 18 of 2020) — Parlement de Trinidad-et-Tobago, texte de la loi, 2020
- The Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Act, 2019 (Act No. 24 of 2019) — Parlement de Trinidad-et-Tobago, texte de la loi, 2019
Fundamental rights
- Trinidad and Tobago 1976 (rev. 2007) Constitution — Constitution de Trinité-et-Tobago (texte publié par Constitute Project), 2007
Official or institutional documents this page relies on, consulted on 12 October 2026. Links open in a new tab.
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