kjennelsen

Kjennelsen is a Norwegian legal term referring to a court’s formal order or ruling issued during the course of a case. It concerns procedural or incidental matters rather than the merits of the dispute. Kjennelser can address issues such as the admissibility of evidence, scheduling of hearings, interim measures, service of process, or the allocation of costs. They may also decide on procedural questions like the exclusion of parties or the handling of documents. A kjennelse is typically issued by a judge or a panel and is usually provided in writing and served to the parties.

In civil and criminal proceedings, as well as in administrative cases, kjennelser influence the course of litigation by resolving interim issues without determining the final outcome. The law governs how kjennelser are appealed or reviewed; under Norwegian procedural rules, some kjennelser can be appealed, others may be reviewed through special procedures or by later challenge through the normal path to a final judgment. The exact right to appeal depends on the issue addressed and the stage of the case.

Etymology: The term kjennelse derives from historical Norwegian usage for a formal decision or finding by a court, and is still used in contemporary legal language to denote such orders. In everyday use, the word commonly means “the order” issued by a court on procedural matters.