Judges and prosecutors weigh evidence and issue warrants accordingly. Persons are brought before an independent judiciary. Those arrested must be notified of their right to a lawyer within 24 hours of detention. Nigerien law allows individuals to be detained initially for up to 48 hours without charge, and allows an additional 48-hour detention period if police need more time to gather evidence. Detainees have a right to prompt judicial determination. Security forces must inform detainees of the charges against them promptly. Law provides for a maximum pretrial confinement of 30 months for serious crimes and 12 months for minor offenses, with special extensions in certain sensitive cases. The law affirms the presumption of innocence. Trials are public, and juries are used. Defendants have the right to counsel, including counsel at public expense for minors and indigent defendants charged with crimes carrying a sentence of 10 years or more. There is a functioning bail system for crimes carrying a penalty of fewer than 10 years' imprisonment. Indigents are provided a lawyer by the government. Widespread ignorance of the law and lack of financial means prevented many from fully exercising their right to an attorney and using the bail system. Defendants also have the right to be present at trial, to confront witnesses, and to present witnesses on their own behalf. The government has a legal obligation to inform defendants of all evidence against them, and defendants have access to government-held evidence. Defendants may appeal verdicts, first to the court of appeals and then to the Supreme Court. Civil law in Niger is modeled on the French " (civil law). Courts of civil procedure in each major city which hear lawsuits related to civil matters and can apply judicial remedies, while a single appellate entity is responsible for administrative remedies. Traditional chiefs can act as mediators and counselors and have authority in customary law cases as well as status under national law where they are designated as auxiliaries to local officials. Under customary courts and traditional mediation, individuals do not have the same legal protections as those using the formal court systems. They have authority to arbitrate in many customary law matters, including marriage, inheritance, land, and community disputes, but not in all civil issues. Chiefs receive government stipends, but have no police or judicial powers. Customary courts, which try civil law cases, are based largely on Islamic law and local tradition, and are located only in large towns and cities. A legal practitioner with basic legal training, advised by an assessor knowledgeable in the society's traditions, heads these courts. The judicial actions of chiefs and customary courts are not regulated by formal law, and defendants can appeal a verdict in the formal court system.