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| Law of Norway | |
|---|---|
| Name | Law of Norway |
| Native name | Norges rettssystem |
| Jurisdiction | Norway |
| System | Civil law |
| Constitution | Constitution of Norway (1814) |
| Legislature | Storting |
| Courts | Supreme Court of Norway, Courts of appeal in Norway, District courts of Norway |
| Chief justice | Toril Marie Øie |
| Citation | Norwegian statutes |
Law of Norway The Law of Norway is the legal framework governing Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim, Stavanger, Tromsø and other parts of the Kingdom of Norway, rooted in the Constitution of Norway (1814), shaped by statutes passed in the Storting and interpreted by the Supreme Court of Norway, the Courts of appeal in Norway and the District courts of Norway. It has been influenced by historical institutions such as the Gulating, the Frostating, the Kodeks, and by international instruments including the European Convention on Human Rights, the United Nations Charter, the European Union acquis through the European Economic Area agreement. The legal order interacts with administrative bodies like the Norwegian Police Service, the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority, the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration, and regulatory agencies such as the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway.
Norwegian legal history traces from Norse assemblies such as the Thing and the regional laws codified in the Gulating law and Frostating law to the 13th-century national codes under King Magnus VI of Norway and the Landslov. The 1660s saw influences from the Danish-Norwegian union and the King Christian V's Norwegian edition of the Danske Lov, while the 1814 constitutional moment at Eidsvoll established the Constitution of Norway (1814) and a modern parliamentary trajectory culminating in the authority of the Storting. Twentieth-century developments were shaped by cases before the Supreme Court of Norway, legislative reforms responding to events like the German occupation of Norway and post-war integration into institutions such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe.
Primary sources include the Constitution of Norway (1814), statutes enacted by the Storting, delegated regulations issued by ministries such as the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Norway), and customary law recognized by courts including the Supreme Court of Norway. International treaties such as the European Convention on Human Rights, the North Sea Treaty (historical context), and agreements under the European Free Trade Association affect domestic law through doctrines developed in cases like those before the European Court of Human Rights and decisions referencing the Court of Justice of the European Union in EEA matters. Academic commentary from jurists at institutions such as the University of Oslo Faculty of Law, the University of Bergen Faculty of Law, and the Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law contributes to doctrinal development.
Constitutional law centers on the Constitution of Norway (1814), elaborated by practices of the Storting, executive powers exercised by the King-in-Council and ministers such as those in the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Norway), and judicial review applied by the Supreme Court of Norway. Key constitutional themes include separation of powers debated in cases involving the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration, human rights protections under the European Convention on Human Rights, and electoral law disputes adjudicated by clerks from the Norwegian Directorate of Elections. Constitutional amendments and landmark rulings have been shaped by figures like Jens Stoltenberg (political context), jurists from the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, and international judgments referencing the European Court of Human Rights.
Civil law matters arise under the Lov om ekteskap and statutes governing property such as the Land Consolidation Act and the Conveyancing Act; commercial law includes corporate regulation under the Norwegian Public Limited Liability Companies Act, securities regulation overseen by the Financial Supervisory Authority of Norway, and shipping law influenced by decisions in ports like Bergen. Contract disputes are litigated in the District courts of Norway and appealed to the Courts of appeal in Norway and the Supreme Court of Norway. Consumer protection statutes (administered by the Norwegian Consumer Council), competition law enforced by the Norwegian Competition Authority, and bankruptcy proceedings under the Bankruptcy Act shape business transactions. Influential commercial cases reference practices in Oslo Stock Exchange and arbitration forums like the Norwegian Arbitration Act and the Oslo Chamber of Commerce.
Criminal law is codified in the Norwegian Penal Code (2005) and prosecutorial practice is led by the Director of Public Prosecutions (Norway). Policing and investigations are conducted by the Norwegian Police Service and specialized units such as the National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime (Økokrim). Defendants' rights derive from constitutional protections and the European Convention on Human Rights, with trials held in the District courts of Norway and appeals to the Courts of appeal in Norway and the Supreme Court of Norway. Sentencing practice emphasizes rehabilitation as reflected in the Norwegian Correctional Service policies and landmark decisions involving jurists who studied at the University of Oslo Faculty of Law.
Administrative law governs relations with agencies including the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV), the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and the Norwegian Environment Agency. Administrative decisions are reviewed by administrative tribunals such as the Immigration Appeals Board and adjudicated in the ordinary courts culminating in precedents from the Supreme Court of Norway. Principles of legality and proportionality under the European Convention on Human Rights and EEA rules guide administrative practice. Oversight bodies include the Parliamentary Ombudsman for Public Administration and sector regulators like the Norwegian Data Protection Authority.
The legal profession comprises advocates admitted by the Norwegian Bar Association, judges appointed through processes involving the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Norway), and public prosecutors employed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (Norway). Legal education is delivered by institutions such as the University of Oslo Faculty of Law, the University of Bergen Faculty of Law, the UiT The Arctic University of Norway, and postgraduate training at the Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law. Continuing legal education is supported by the Oslo Bar Association and professional bodies, while accreditation and ethical standards are overseen by courts and the Norwegian Bar Association.