There are 15 counties in Norway. The 15 counties are administrative regions that are the first-level administrative divisions of Norway. The counties are further subdivided into 357 municipalities. The island territories of Svalbard and Jan Mayen are outside the county divisions and they are ruled directly from the national level. The capital city of Oslo is both a county and a municipality.
The judiciary of Norway is hierarchical with the Supreme Court at the apex. The conciliation boards only hear certain types of civil cases. The district courts are deemed to be the first instance of the Courts of Justice. Jury (high) courts are the second instance, and the Supreme Court is the third instance.
The Frostating Court of Appeal is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Trondheim. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal. These areas constitute the Frostating judicial district. This court can rule on both civil and criminal cases that are appealed from one of its subordinate district courts. Court decisions can be, to a limited extent, appealed to the Supreme Court of Norway. There are 19 permanent judges on this court. The chief judicial officer of the court is currently Sven-Jørgen Lindsetmo. The court is administered by the Norwegian National Courts Administration.
The Borgarting Court of Appeal is one of six intermediate courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Oslo. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Oslo and western Viken. These areas constitute the Borgarting judicial district. This court can rule on both civil and criminal cases that are appealed from one of its subordinate district courts. Court decisions can be, to a limited extent, appealed to the Supreme Court of Norway. The court has 62 judges and 45 administrative staff. The chief judicial officer of the court is currently Marianne Vollan. The court is administered by the Norwegian National Courts Administration.
The court of appeal is the second level of courts of justice in Norway, reviewing criminal and civil cases appealed from the district courts. There are six courts of appeal, each covering a jurisdiction and based in a city. Each court is led by a senior judge president (førstelagmann) and several appellate judges (lagdommer). The courts are administered by the Norwegian National Courts Administration. Decisions from civil and criminal matters, except the question of guilt, can be appealed from the courts of appeal to the Supreme Court.
The Agder Court of Appeal is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the town of Skien. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Vestfold og Telemark and Agder. These areas constitute the Agder judicial district. This court can rule on both civil and criminal cases that are appealed from one of its subordinate district courts. Court decisions can be, to a limited extent, appealed to the Supreme Court of Norway. The court has 21 judges and 13 administrative staff, including a director. The chief judicial officer of the court is currently Dag Bugge Norden. The court is administered by the Norwegian National Courts Administration.
The Hålogaland Court of Appeal is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Tromsø. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark as well as the island territories of Jan Mayen and Svalbard. These areas constitute the judicial district of Hålogaland, which has nearly a half a million residents. This court can rule on both civil and criminal cases that are appealed from one of its subordinate district courts. Court decisions can be, to a limited extent, appealed to the Supreme Court of Norway. The court has 16 full-time judges plus a number of other support staff members. The chief judicial officer of the court is currently Monica Hansen Nylund. The court is administered by the Norwegian National Courts Administration.
The Eidsivating Court of Appeal is one of six courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Hamar, with jurisdiction over the Eidsivating judicial district, comprisong the counties of Innlandet and eastern Viken. It can rule on both civil and criminal cases that are appealed from one of its subordinate district courts. Court decisions can, with limitations, be appealed to the Supreme Court of Norway. The chief judicial officer of the court is Nina Sollie. The court is administered by the Norwegian National Courts Administration.
Sør-Trøndelag District Court was a district court in Trøndelag county, Norway. The court was based in the city of Trondheim at the Trondheim courthouse. The court existed from 2003 until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the municipalities of Trondheim, Malvik, Klæbu, Selbu, Tydal, Røros, Holtålen, Midtre Gauldal, Oppdal, Rennebu, Melhus, Meldal, Skaun, Orkdal, Agdenes, Snillfjord, and Hemne. Cases from this court could be appealed to Frostating Court of Appeal. The chief judge was Leif Otto Østerbø.
Inntrøndelag District Court was a district court in the Inntrøndelag region in Trøndelag county, Norway. The court was based in Steinkjer. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the municipalities of Steinkjer, Inderøy, Snåsa, Verran, Verdal, Levanger, Frosta, Stjørdal, Meråker, and Namdalseid. Cases from this court could be appealed to Frostating Court of Appeal. The courthouse was built in 1997 for the old Inderøy District Court, and in 2010 there was a 25 million kr addition built to accommodate the new court. The court has seven judges and eleven clerks. The final presiding judge of the court was Odd Arve Bartnes.
Bergen District Court was a district court in Vestland county, Norway. The court was based in the city of Bergen at the Bergen Courthouse at Tårnplads 2 in Bergen. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the Nordhordland, Midhordland, and Voss regions in the county. This included the municipalities of Gulen, Fedje, Austrheim, Masfjorden, Modalen, Alver, Askøy, Øygarden, Osterøy, Vaksdal, Voss, Austevoll, Bjørnafjorden, Samnanger, and Bergen. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal.
Stavanger District Court was a district court in Rogaland county, Norway. The court was based in the city of Stavanger. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the central part of the county which included the municipalities of Hjelmeland, Kvitsøy, Randaberg, Sola, Stavanger, and Strand. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal. The court was led by the chief judge Tor Christian Carlsen. This court employed a chief judge, 18 other judges, and 24 prosecutors.
Jæren District Court was a district court in Rogaland county, Norway. The court was based at the Sandnes Courthouse located on Olav V's plass in the town of Sandnes. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the west central part of the county which included the municipalities of Gjesdal, Hå, Klepp, Sandnes, and Time. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal. The court was led by the chief judge Anne Marie Aarrestad. This court employed a chief judge, ten other judges, and five prosecutors as well as other administrative assistants. Jæren District Court had seven courtrooms.
Dalane District Court was a district court in Agder and Rogaland counties in Norway. The court was based in the town of Egersund. The court existed until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the southern part of Rogaland county which included the municipalities of Eigersund, Bjerkreim, Lund, and Sokndal plus it also includes the neighboring municipality of Sirdal in Agder county. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal. The court was led by the chief judge Alexander Schønemann. This court employed a chief judge, one other judge, and three prosecutors.
Hardanger District Court was a district court in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. The court was based in the village of Lofthus in Ullensvang Municipality, but it also has courts in Norheimsund and Odda. The court existed from 1919 until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the municipalities of Eidfjord, Kvam, Ullensvang, and Ulvik. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal.
Fosen District Court was a district court in Trøndelag county, Norway. The court was based at the Fosen Tinghus in the town of Brekstad in the municipality of Ørland. The court existed from 1591 until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the municipalities of Ørland, Bjugn, Frøya, Hitra, Indre Fosen, Osen, Roan, and Åfjord. Cases from this court could be appealed to Frostating Court of Appeal. The court was last led by the acting chief judge Leif Otto Østerbø. This court employed a chief judge, two other judges, and several prosecutors and administrators.
Vestland is a county in Norway. The county is located in Western Norway, and its administrative centre is Bergen, where the executive and political leadership is based. The County Governor is based in Hermansverk. Vestland is one of two counties in Norway that have Nynorsk as their official written language form.
Sør-Rogaland District Court is a district court located in Rogaland and Agder counties in Norway. This court is based at three different courthouses which are located in Stavanger, Sandnes, and Egersund. The court serves the southern part of Rogaland plus one municipality (Sirdal) in western Agder. The court takes cases from 17 municipalities. The court in Egersund accepts cases from the municipalities of Bjerkreim, Eigersund, Gjesdal, Lund, Sirdal, and Sokndal. The court in Sandnes accepts cases from the municipalities of Hå, Klepp, Sandnes, and Time. The court in Stavanger accepts cases from the municipalities of Hjelmeland, Kvitsøy, Randaberg, Sola, Stavanger, and Strand. The court is subordinate to the Gulating Court of Appeal.
Hordaland District Court is a district court located in Vestland county, Norway. This court is based at two different courthouses which are located in Bergen and Lofthus. The court serves the Nordhordland, Midthordland, and Hardanger areas of the county which includes cases from 18 municipalities. The court in Bergen accepts cases from the municipalities of Alver, Askøy, Austevoll, Austrheim, Bergen, Bjørnafjorden, Fedje, Masfjorden, Modalen, Osterøy, Samnanger, Vaksdal, Voss, and Øygarden. The court in Lofthus accepts cases from the municipalities of Eidfjord, Kvam, Ullensvang, and Ulvik. The court is subordinate to the Gulating Court of Appeal.
Trøndelag District Court is a district court located in Trøndelag county, Norway. This court is based at four different courthouses which are located in Brekstad, Namsos, Steinkjer, and Trondheim. The court serves the entire county which includes 38 municipalities: Flatanger, Frosta, Frøya, Grong, Heim, Hitra, Holtålen, Høylandet, Inderøy, Indre Fosen, Leka, Levanger, Lierne, Malvik, Melhus, Meråker, Midtre Gauldal, Namsos, Namsskogan, Nærøysund, Oppdal, Orkland, Osen, Overhalla, Rennebu, Rindal, Røros, Røyrvik, Selbu, Skaun, Snåsa, Steinkjer, Stjørdal, Trondheim, Tydal, Verdal, Ørland, and Åfjord. The court is subordinate to the Frostating Court of Appeal.
