evidence: The justice system in Sri Lanka is a complex mix of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, Jaffna Tamil customary law, and Muslim personal law. The criminal law is mostly derived from English common law and the judiciary is derived from the British model. The basic system of civil law, which originated with the Dutch, is mostly Roman-Dutch. Kandyans have traditionally had their own legal system. Lowland Sinhalese have traditionally followed Roman-Dutch law. [...] The Thesavalamai is part of some ancient customs of Tamils in Sri Lanka and India. In Sri Lanka the law is applicable to the " Malabar inhabitants of the Jaffna Peninsular" and the persons governed by the law include those who do not reside in Jaffna any longer. The only areas of the Thesavalamai personal laws that are now applicable are matrimonial rights with respect to property and intestate succession. These are governed by the Matrimonial Rights and Inheritance (Jaffna) Ordinance [MR &I (J)O]. In all other areas, the general law applies.