Hardanger og Voss District Court

Hardanger og Voss District Court
Hardanger og Voss tingrett
60°19′48″N6°39′20″E / 60.32992°N 6.65549°E / 60.32992; 6.65549
Established	10 June 2025
Jurisdiction	Greater Hardanger region
Location	Lofthus, Norway
Coordinates	60°19′48″N6°39′20″E / 60.32992°N 6.65549°E / 60.32992; 6.65549
Appeals to	Gulating Court of Appeal
Website	Official website

Hardanger og Voss District Court (Norwegian : Hardanger og Voss tingrett) is a district court located in Vestland county, Norway. This court is based in Lofthus (there are also courthouses in Norheimsund and Odda that are available to use). The court is subordinate to the Gulating Court of Appeal. The court serves the greater Hardanger region of the county which includes cases from six municipalities: Eidfjord, Kvam, Samnanger, Ullensvang, Ulvik, and Voss. ^{[1] [2]}

The court is led by a chief judge (sorenskriver) and several other judges. The court is a court of first instance. Its judicial duties are mainly to settle criminal cases and to resolve civil litigation as well as bankruptcy. The administration and registration tasks of the court include death registration, issuing certain certificates, performing duties of a notary public, and officiating civil wedding ceremonies. Cases from this court are heard by a combination of professional judges and lay judges. ^[3]

History

This court was established on 10 June 2025 after the Hordaland District Court was divided into two district courts. The Hordaland District Court was established in 2021 and it had two courthouses, one in Bergen and one in Lofthus. The court in Lofthus had jurisdiction over the Hardanger region (the municipalities of Eidfjord, Kvam, Ullensvang, and Ulvik). On 10 June 2025, the court in Lofthus was created as a separate district court with jurisdiction over the whole Hardanger region plus the neighboring Voss Municipality and Samnanger Municipality. ^{[4] [1]}

References

1. "Nå er navnene på de nye tingrettene bestemt" (in Norwegian). Norges Domstoler. 3 April 2025.
2. "Hardanger og Voss tingrett" (in Norwegian). Hardanger og Voss tingrett. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
3. Gisle, Jon, ed. (9 April 2025). "tingrett". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
4. Gisle, Jon, ed. (10 June 2025). "Hardanger og Voss tingrett". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Foreningen Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 18 June 2025.