Hovrätten

Hovrätten, or the Court of Appeal, is a Swedish appellate court and the second instance in the Swedish judiciary. It hears appeals in civil and criminal cases from district courts (tingsrätt) and reviews decisions to ensure correct application of law and proper handling of the facts within the legal framework.

There are several hovrätter with geographic jurisdiction across Sweden. Each court operates as an intermediate appellate court for its region, handling cases appealed from district courts. In practice, decisions are issued after hearings before panels composed of professional judges, and the court may address both legal questions and, where appropriate, factual issues on appeal.

A typical case in a hovrätt is decided by a panel of three or more judges. Hearings may be conducted orally or based on written submissions, and the court can uphold the district court’s decision, overturn it, or remand the case for a new trial or further proceedings in the district court.

Decisions of the hovrätten can be appealed to the Högsta domstolen (Supreme Court) with leave to appeal, which is granted only in cases involving important legal questions or general significance for Swedish jurisprudence. This pathway ensures higher-level review of significant issues while filtering the volume of cases reaching the Supreme Court.

Historically, the hovrätt system has deep roots in Sweden’s legal tradition and has evolved into the country’s main intermediate appellate judiciary. Today, hovrätter complement district courts and the Supreme Court, providing regional oversight and consistent interpretation of civil and criminal law.