Trondenes is a district court/
The Courts of Norway have the role as third power of the State, prescribing them the duty to monitor the powers of the legislative and the executive. It is a fundamental right for anyone to have their case considered by an impartial and independent court.
As a court of law, Trondenes tingrett has the duty and obligation to reach a decision in all the individual cases brought before it. The cases brought into the court system in Norway are divided as to whether they concern criminal law or civil law.
Criminal law mostly involves the rules laid down by the state for individual citizens, while civil law governs the relationships and transactions between citizens and between companies.
The Trondenes Distict Court serves the local municipalities Bjarkøy, Harstad, Ibestad, Kvæfjord, Skånland.
The Court’s decisions may be appealed to Hålogaland Court of Appeal.
Other duties
Duties carried out by the Courts of Justice also include: probate cases, estate settlements, (joint property, bankruptcy etc.), partnership registrations, and notarial transactions.
Staff
The judicial staff consists of 2 appointed professional judges and 1deputy judges. The president of the court appoints deputy judges for a period of up to about two years. The judges divide their time approximately equally between criminal cases and civil cases.
The administrative staff counts 6 employees. The “sorenskriver” is the president of the district court.
Cases
In 2006 the court dealt with approximately 115 criminal cases with laymen, 200 summary procedures (confession cases, remand in custody etc.) and 100 civil cases.
(The Government has set maximum standards for the duration of time from a case has been brought before the court until a decision has been made. The standard is 3 months for criminal cases (with laymen) and 6 months for civil cases. Trondenes District Court almost reaches this standard both in the criminal and civil cases.
More information about the courts of Norway at: http://www.domstol.no/