domstolene

Domstolene is the collective term for the courts of Norway, the institutions responsible for administering justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters. They operate independently of the executive and legislative branches and interpret and apply Norwegian law in accordance with the Constitution and statutory rules.

The Norwegian court system is structured in three levels. The first instance consists of tingretten, the district courts, which handle most civil and criminal cases as well as family law, probate, and bankruptcy matters. Appeals from tingretten go to one of the lagmannsrettene, the Courts of Appeal, which review factual and legal aspects of the cases. The final judicial authority is Høyesterett, the Supreme Court, which handles cases of significant legal principle and questions of interpretation, typically on appeal from the Courts of Appeal.

In many cases, proceedings in tingretten involve a panel of professional judges and, in criminal matters, lay judges (lekdommere) who participate to reflect broader public perspectives. The precise composition and procedures vary by case type and jurisdiction, but all proceedings are conducted with public access and written judgments that explain the legal reasoning.

The courts administer a wide range of matters, including civil disputes, criminal cases, family law (such as custody and maintenance), inheritance, and certain administrative issues assigned by law. Decisions are binding and subject to formal appeals to higher courts, while the judiciary as an institution operates with principles of independence, transparency, and accountability, providing mechanisms for legal remedies and safeguards for parties involved.