Legal proceedings

Legal proceedings at court are conducted in different ways depending on what the matter or case relates to.

We describe here how legal proceedings are conducted in three different situations: if someone has committed an offence (criminal case), if private persons disagree (contentious cases) and if a person wants to appeal against a decision made by an authority.

The consequences for those affected will be different depending upon the nature of the matter.

• A trial in a criminal case can lead to different consequences for the person prosecuted. If he or she is sentenced for the offence, this may result in, for example, fines or imprisonment. The district court adjudicates in criminal cases.
• It is also the district court that adjudicates in disputes between private individuals. A contentious case is instituted when someone submits a summons application to the court. The consequence of this will be that the court determines how the dispute should be resolved. For example, one party may be compelled to pay a debt to the other, or two parents may have to share the custody of their child.
• In certain cases, the court can reconsider decisions that the municipality, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, the Swedish Tax Agency or some other authority has made. Such matters are referred to the administrative court.

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