Offentligrättsligt

Offentligrättsligt is a Swedish legal term that denotes matters governed by public law. It refers to the part of the legal system that organizes the state’s powers, regulates the relationship between public authorities and individuals or private entities, and controls how public decisions are made and implemented. The corresponding concept in many jurisdictions is public law, as opposed to privaträttsligt (private law), which concerns relations between private persons or entities.

The scope of offentligrättsligt includes several areas. Constitutional law sets the framework for government powers and fundamental rights. Administrative law (förvaltningsrätt) governs the actions of public authorities, such as how decisions are made, how individuals can challenge them, and the procedures that must be followed. Criminal law, tax law, and social security law are commonly treated as parts of public law because they involve the state’s use of coercive powers and public interest. Public procurement, immigration, and regulatory policies (such as environmental or competition regulation) are also typically handled within offentligrättsliga rules.

In practice, offentligrättsliga questions are often adjudicated in special public-law or administrative courts (förvaltningsrätter) or, in criminal or私人 disputes, in the general courts with relevant public-law principles. The overarching aim is legality, accountability, and protection of constitutional rights, ensuring that state power is exercised within established legal limits and procedures.

The term is widely used in Swedish legal discourse to distinguish cases and rules that center on public authority and public interest from those that govern private civil relations. It often intersects with European Union law, where EU obligations influence national offentlig rätt.