hovedlovgivning

Hovedlovgivning, or "main legislation," is a term used in Scandinavian legal contexts to describe the primary statutes that establish the framework for a given area of law. These acts are enacted by the parliament and set out the central rules, principles, and authorities governing the field.

Secondary legislation comprises rules, regulations, and decisions issued under authority granted by the hovedlovgivning. These instruments implement, apply, or specify the practical details of the main act, and they are typically adopted by executive agencies or government ministries.

Main acts typically define key concepts, rights and duties, procedural rules, enforcement mechanisms, and remedies or penalties. They provide the authoritative source for interpretation and determine the scope and applicability of the law.

In systems with a constitutional or hierarchical structure, hovedlovgivning sits below constitutional norms and above subordinate regulations. Amendments or repeals usually require a formal legislative process, including proposal, committee study, debates, and votes before promulgation.

This concept helps lawyers, judges, and citizens distinguish the core rules that establish a legal field from the implementing, technical rules that carry them into daily use. The hovedlovgivning is the reference point for legal interpretation and for challenges to the scope of the law.