The administrative court decides if a decision is legal

When the administrative court has received your appeal, it will get any other documents that it needs and ask for a statement from the authority that your appeal concerns. After this, you will have the right to give your views of the matter in writing.

In most cases, the administrative court handles complaints in a written procedure. If necessary and if you ask for it, a hearing can also be organised where you can talk to the court about your appeal. Outside experts can be asked to come to the court.

When the administrative court handles appeals that concern construction and the environment, for example, it may also make an on-site review. This means that court officials go and look around the place that the appeal concerns. The review is a way of getting more information.

The administrative court decides if a decision that was appealed against is legal or not. It may cancel a wrong decision or order that the matter must be looked at again.

The administrative court sends its decision in writing to the person who appealed and informs the authority that the appeal concerned.

Deciding a matter in the administrative court may take several months and, in some cases, over a year. You can ask the administrative court how long it will take to handle your appeal.

A decision made by an administrative court is basically public, unless it concerns matters that must be kept secret. Secret matters include those related to a private individual’s health, circumstances or asylum.