The Courts of Justice

The Supreme Court of Norway

Along with the Storting (the Norwegian Parliament) and the Government, the Supreme Court is one of Norway’s three highest constitutional authorities.The Supreme Court is a court of appeal that hears appeals on decisions made by lower courts in both civil cases and criminal cases. There are 20 justices on the Supreme Court. The head of the court is called the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway. For more information, visit the Supreme Court’s website.

Courts of appeal

Courts of appeal decide appeals on judicial decisions in civil cases and criminal cases. The appeals come from district courts and the land consolidation courts within the court of appeal’s territorial jurisdiction.

The head of a court of appeal is called the senior presiding court of appeal judge. Norway has six courts of appeal.

• Agder Court of Appeal covers the counties of Agder and Vestfold og Telemark.
• Borgarting Court of Appeal covers the counties of Oslo and Viken, with the exception of the municipalities that fall within the territorial jurisdiction of Romerike and Glåmdal District Court.
• Eidsivating Court of Appeal covers the county of Innlandet and the municipalities that come under the territorial jurisdiction of Romerike and Glåmdal District Court in the county of Viken.
• Frostating Court of Appeal covers the counties of Møre og Romsdal and Trøndelag.
• Gulating Court of Appeal covers the counties of Vestland and Rogaland.
• Hålogaland Court of Appeal covers the counties of Nordland and Troms og Finnmark.

District courts

District courts are the courts of first instance. There are 23 district courts in Norway, with a total of 59 court venues. The head of a court is called the Chief Judge. All district courts cover one or more municipalities. This is called the court district.

District courts hear both civil cases and criminal cases. They also hear cases concerning temporary preventive detention, legal enforcement and the public division of marital estates, bankruptcy estates and deceased estates. In addition to this, they register deaths and issue certificates of probate and notarial confirmations.

Se also the Norwegian Courts of Justice Act (english translation)