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Courts of law
The courts of law exercise judicial power independently. They decide on compliance with law in individual cases.
The courts of law are independent. Only the law that is in force binds them. No political actors, such as political parties or Parliament, or administrative bodies, such as the Government, or any other external body can intervene in their decision-making.
In Finland, as in the other Nordic countries, the courts are divided into general courts, which consider criminal cases, civil cases and petitions, and into administrative courts, which consider administrative issues. The administrative courts consider appeals against decisions by the authorities and law suits between authorities. There are also certain special courts.
The court system is also divided according to region and competence by instance.
General courts of law
There are 27 district courts in Finland, which deal with criminal cases, civil cases and petitionary matters in the first instance. Decisions of a district court can be appealed to one of Finland's six courts of appeal. Decisions of a court of appeal can be appealed to the Supreme Court, provided that the Supreme Court grants leave to appeal.
- Courts of appeal
Ministry of Justice - District courts
Ministry of Justice - Supreme Court
Supreme Court
Administrative courts
Finland has eight regional administrative courts, which consider appeals against decisions by authorities in the first instance. Decisions by the administrative court can be appealed to the Supreme Administrative Court.
Special courts
Diagram of the public administration
This diagram shows in highlight the position of courts of law in the structure of the public administration.
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