NordenBladet – The Swedish National Courts Administration (SNCA) (Swedish: Domstolsverket) is a Swedish administrative authority organized under the Ministry of Justice. It functions as a service organisation for the Swedish courts, including the general courts, the general administrative courts and a number of special courts.
The SNCA does not hold any powers over these courts. It acts purely as an umbrella organization to provide economy of scale for service, and is responsible for the overall coordination of the courts. It also deals with common issues in the Judiciary of Sweden; such as personnel development, education and information, the preparation of regulations, advice and instructions, and the dissemination of information to citizens.
History and organisation
The Swedish National Courts Administration was established in 1975 in Jönköping, and is headed by Director-General Martin Holmgren. It is organized into eight departments: Finance Department, Human Resources Department, Development Department, IT Department, Security Department, Communications Department, Administrative Department and Legal Department plus an Internal Audit Office.
Introducing the Swedish courts
Shortcuts to common matters:
How can the courts help me?
The courts can provide general information of a rather formal nature. For instance, we can explain how you should complete a summons application and generally describe how legal proceedings are handled.
The courts provide information about cases and matters if a request is so clearly specified that it is easy for us to find the information. If special research is required to find it, the person who wishes to have the information must usually look in the archives her/himself.
What the courts do not do
The courts do not give legal advice. You should refer to an advokat office (attorney’s office) if you wish to have, for instance, advice on how proceedings should be dealt with from the legal perspective.
As it is important that the courts are objective and impartial, we do not provide information about how legal rules should be applied in an individual case.
Principle of public access to information
The principle of public access means that the general public and the media are guaranteed insight into the activities of central government and the municipal authorities.
This means that:
– everyone – Swedish and foreign citizens alike – are entitled to read the authorities’ public documents to the extent the documents are not classified (secret).
– officials and other people who work for central government or the municipal authorities have the right to tell outside parties what they know to the extent they are not limited by any confidentiality obligation.
– officials also have special freedom to provide information to the media.
– court proceedings are open to the public.
What is an official document?
A document is official if it is held by a public authority and, according to special rules, is considered to have been received or drawn up there. The document may be an ordinary paper document, or it may just as well be a written or pictorial matter or recording which can only be read, listened to or otherwise comprehended using technical aids.
Official website: domstol.se
