Legal reforms replaced diverse customary laws with uniform legal codes designed by colonial authorities. Courts, written laws, and formal procedures were introduced to ensure consistency. While this reduced arbitrary judgments, it often ignored local traditions and social realities. Colonial laws emphasized property rights and contracts, benefiting merchants and landowners. The new legal system also strengthened the authority of the colonial state by making law enforcement a state function. As a result, justice became more centralized and formal, but less accessible to ordinary people unfamiliar with the new legal language and procedures.