Siyasah Dusturiyah: State Law Review
Vol. 1 No. 3 (2025): Siyasah Dusturiyah: State Law Review

Judicial Activism of the Constitutional Court in Progressive Law Discovery: Limitations, Checks and Balances, and the Threat of Becoming a Positive Legislator

Nur Rizkiah Hasanah (Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta)
Irwan Triadi (Universitas Pembangunan Nasional “Veteran” Jakarta)



Article Info

Publish Date
28 Oct 2025

Abstract

This study examines the judicial activism of Indonesia’s Constitutional Court as a form of progressive law discovery, assessing its implications for the doctrine of separation of powers and the risk of the Court functioning as a positive legislator. Rooted in the civil law tradition, Indonesian judges undertake Rechtvinding to bridge gaps in codified law, a mandate that intensifies under constitutional review. Employing a doctrinal legal research method, the analysis synthesizes statutory texts, case law, and scholarly commentary through hermeneutic and comparative techniques. Two landmark decisions illustrate contrasting approaches: Decision No. 46/PUU-VIII/2010, where the Court created new norms concerning the civil status of children born out of wedlock, and Decision No. 168/PUU-XXI/2023, which exercised procedural activism by issuing legislative orders on the Job Creation Law. Findings reveal a normative dilemma between fulfilling substantive justice and preserving legislative sovereignty. Excessive use of extensive interpretation risks normative incoherence and undermines checks and balances, whereas procedural activism offers a calibrated mechanism to guide legislative reform without overstepping constitutional boundaries. The study proposes codifying interpretive limits, promoting judicial self-restraint, and enhancing legislative responsiveness to maintain coherent jurisprudence and uphold constitutional supremacy. These recommendations aim to fortify Indonesia’s constitutional order by balancing judicial innovation with the integrity of democratic lawmaking.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

SDLR

Publisher

Subject

Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice

Description

Siyasah Dusturiyah: State Law Review focuses on studying and developing constitutional law, political law, and governance from both Islamic and comparative perspectives. The journal provides a platform for scholarly discussion and critical analysis of constitutionalism, state institutions, ...