Einkaréttar

Einkaréttar is the branch of law that governs legal relationships between private individuals and entities, as distinct from public law, which regulates the relationship between individuals and the state or public authorities. In Icelandic legal discourse, einkaréttar is synonymous with private law or civil law in many other jurisdictions. It provides the rules for private obligations and rights, and the remedies available when those rights are violated.

Scope includes contract law, delict or tort law, property law, family law, and inheritance. It also covers corporate law in terms of private rights of shareholders and companies, as well as other areas where private parties' interests are regulated by law. The boundaries of einkaréttar can overlap with administrative law and commercial law, reflecting the interactions between private autonomy and public regulation.

In practice, disputes are typically resolved by civil courts or arbitration, with remedies such as damages, specific performance, or injunctions, depending on the type of private-law claim. The concept emphasizes the autonomy of individuals and legal entities to shape their legal relationships through contracts, agreements, and ownership.

Historically, einkaréttar draws on the broader civil-law tradition, contrasting with public-law domains like constitutional, administrative, and criminal law. In Icelandic scholarship, the term is used to frame discussions of private legal norms, private autonomy, and the regulation of private obligations within the state legal system.

See also: civil law, private law, contract law, property law, family law, tort.