rättsordningar

Rättsordning, plural rättsordningar, is a term used in legal science and public discourse to describe the totality of normative rules that govern a jurisdiction. It denotes the working order of a legal system, including the institutions, procedures, and norms that regulate rights and obligations, as well as the mechanisms that interpret and enforce them. A rättsordning is not a fixed catalogue of laws; it evolves as legislation is enacted, case law develops, and administrative practices adapt.

Its main components include the constitutional framework (grundlagarna), statutes (lagar), regulations, and decisions by courts and administrative authorities; customary norms and, where applicable, international law and supranational law (for example EU law) that affect the domestic order. The hierarchy of norms, such as higher-order constitutional provisions prevailing over ordinary statutes, is a key feature of most legal systems.

Rättsordningar are studied to compare how different jurisdictions organize authority, rights, and remedies. The concept also accommodates the coexistence of multiple legal orders within a state or in relation to international law, where international obligations can take precedence over national rules in matters covered by treaty or directive.

Practically, the rättsordning shapes how disputes are resolved, how rights are protected, the limits of state power, and the procedures for interpreting laws. It is the frame within which courts, government agencies, and citizens interact.