överrättsinstans

överrättsinstans is a Swedish legal term that translates to "higher court of appeal" or "appellate court." It refers to a court that hears appeals from decisions made by lower courts, such as district courts (tingsrätt). The primary function of an överrättsinstans is to review the legal and factual findings of the lower court to determine if any errors were made.

In Sweden, the main överrättsinstanser are the Courts of Appeal (Hovrätt). There are six such courts located in different regions of the country. These courts handle both civil and criminal cases. When a case is appealed to a Hovrätt, the court will examine the evidence presented and the arguments made by the parties. Depending on the nature of the appeal, the court may hold new hearings, review documents, or simply make a decision based on the existing record.

The decisions of a Hovrätt can, in turn, be appealed to the Supreme Court (Högsta domstolen), which is the highest appellate court in Sweden. However, the Supreme Court generally only grants leave to appeal in cases where there is a need to establish a precedent or when there are significant legal questions involved. The överrättsinstans plays a crucial role in ensuring that justice is administered correctly and that legal principles are applied consistently across the Swedish judicial system.