Justice in Norway

„Saksbehandler“ and „Rechtspfleger“ - Responsibilities in Discussion

A report by Anne Kappl

On 20 June 2011, the President of the European Union of Rechtspfleger (E.U.R.) Thomas Kappl visited the Director General of DOMSTOL Administrasjonen (Court Administration) Tor Langbach in Trondheim. Also the Vice President of E.U.R. for Norway Hilde Andreassen attended the discussion. In Norway the court administration is independent and does not belong to the ministry of justice. The Minister of Justice Knut Storberget has a political role and thus he does not have any influence on the organization of the courts. For this reason the Director General of DOMSTOL Administrasjonen is at the level of the minister of justice.

The E.U.R. President was talking with the Director General of DOMSTOL Administrasjonen and the Vice-President of the EUR about the tasks of the European Rechtspfleger, which are anchored in the Green Paper. It became clear that in Norway numerous non-contentious legal proceedings are to be found in other institutions and there be done.

As it is not the aim of the Green Paper, to intervene in other legal systems, but to discuss the harmonization of law in Europe, talks are to be regarded as very effective about the differences of each country in handling non-contentious legal proceedings.

In Norway we can find responsibilities that are done and decided by the “Saksbehandler” independently similar to the Rechtspfleger. To these tasks for example the decisions on certificates of succession in inheritance belong to.

The project of E.U.R. was rated positively by the Director General of DOMSTOL Administrasjonen. He also sees the possibility to transfer further judicial functions to the “Saksbehandler”. The requirement is that these tasks are located in the jurisdiction. The President of E.U.R. thanked the Director General for the productive conversation.

A special thanks goes to the vice president for Norway Hilde Andreassen for her support in the European Union of Rechtspfleger, as well as to Kersti Fjorstad, Head of the Department of Finance, who showed us the building of DOMSTOL Administrasjonen.

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