Courts in Norway

The ordinary courts of justice

Norges Domstoler / Norwegian Courts Administration (domstol.no) · Government publication · link verified 2026-07-26

The Norwegian courts' own English site, read directly and re-confirmed. Supports the three-instance hierarchy: 23 district courts (tingrettene) with 59 court venues, six courts of appeal (lagmannsrettene), and the Supreme Court (Høyesterett) as the apex with 20 justices, described as "one of Norway's three highest constitutional authorities". Establishes that the same ordinary Supreme Court is the apex for civil, criminal and constitutional-review matters; there is no separate constitutional court and no separate supreme administrative court.

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway (Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov), 1814 — Chapters D and E

Lovdata (official legal database of Norway) · Legislation · 1814 · link verified 2026-07-26

The 1814 Constitution's official English translation on Lovdata, read (and independently re-confirmed in the verification pass). Supports Art. 87 ("The ordinary courts of justice are the Supreme Court, the courts of appeal and the district courts"), Art. 88 ("The Supreme Court pronounces judgment in the final instance … may in no case be appealed"), Art. 89 (the courts "have the power and the duty to review whether applying a statutory provision is contrary to the Constitution" — constitutional review by the ordinary courts, so there is no separate constitutional court), Art. 90 (judges appointed by the King on the recommendation of an independent council; security of tenure), Art. 91 ("The authorities of the State shall ensure the independent administration of the courts"), and Art. 95 (the independence and impartiality of the courts). Lovdata publishes the English translation officially; the authoritative text is Norwegian. WAVE 20 ADDITION. Read from the same Lovdata text of the Grunnlov. Supports Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov § 25 tredje ledd: “Regjeringen har ikke rett til å bruke militær makt mot innbyggerne uten etter lov, med mindre en forsamling forstyrrer den offentlige ro og ikke øyeblikkelig oppløses etter at de lovbestemmelser som angår opprør, tre ganger høyt og tydelig er opplest for forsamlingen av den sivile øvrighet.”. Supports Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov § 26: “Kongen har rett til å innkalle tropper, begynne krig til forsvar av landet og slutte fred, inngå og oppheve forbund, sende og motta sendemenn. Traktater om saker som er av særlig stor viktighet, og i alle tilfeller traktater hvis iverksettelse etter Grunnloven nødvendiggjør en ny lov eller stortingsbeslutning, blir først bindende når Stortinget har gitt sitt samtykke dertil.”. Supports Kongeriket Norges Grunnlov § 17: “Kongen kan gi og oppheve anordninger som angår handel, toll, næringsveier og offentlig regulering; dog må de ikke stride mot konstitusjonen og de lover som Stortinget har gitt i samsvar med de etterfølgende §§ 76, 77, 78 og 79. De gjelder provisorisk til neste Storting.”. Cited for the constitutional bar on using military force against the inhabitants except pursuant to statute. NEGATIVE FINDING, recorded because it is load-bearing: the Grunnlov contains NO written derogation clause for human rights in an emergency, and two separate constitutional-amendment proposals before the Storting say so in terms. This record supports no claim about unwritten doctrine, and no claim about any other country.

The Norwegian Courts Administration

Norges Domstoler (domstol.no) · Government publication · link verified 2026-07-26

The Norwegian Courts Administration's own English page, read directly. Supports that "The Norwegian Courts Administration (DA) is responsible for the central administration of the courts" — a deliberately independent agency that administers the courts without interfering in judicial decisions, giving effect to Constitution Art. 91.