Specialised courts

A few special courts and tribunals have been established to hear specific cases and matters:

The Labour Court deals with labour disputes. Labour disputes are disputes in the frame of employers and employees' relationships. The Labour Court is normally the first and only instance competent in labour disputes. Nevertheless, some labour disputes are heard first in a district court, after which an appeal may be lodged with the Labour Court as the court of second and final instance.
The Market Court deals, among other things, with disputes under the Competition Act and the Marketing Practices Act.
The Court of Patent Appeals handles appeals against the decisions of the Swedish Patent and Registration Office, concerning patents, trademarks and designs and so on. Appeals against the decisions of the Court of Patent Appeals are lodged with the Supreme Administrative Court.

Land and Environment courts process cases such as permits for water operations and environmentally hazardous operations, issues of health protection, nature conservation, refuse collection, polluted areas and hazardous waste, environmentally-related damages and compensation issues, issues of building, demolition and land permits under the Planning and Building Act, site leaseholds, appeals in planning matters, land parcelling, utility easements and expropriation. There are five Land and Environment Courts, which are specialised courts at the District Courts in Nacka, Vänersborg, Växjö, Umeå and Östersund. Appeals against judgments and decisions of the Land and Environment Courts may be lodged with the Land and Environment Court of Appeal, which is part of Svea Court of Appeal. Appeals in cases introduced at a Land and Environment Court and which have been the subject of appeals heard by the Land and Environment Court of Appeal may be lodged with the Supreme Court.

Maritime courts deal with cases under the Swedish Maritime Code (1994:1009). There are seven maritime courts, which are part of the District Courts in Luleå, Sundsvall, Stockholm, Kalmar, Malmö, Gothenburg and Karlstad.

Migration courts review decisions made by the Swedish Migration Board on matters concerning aliens and citizenship. The Migration Courts are specialised courts which are part of the Administrative Courts in Malmö, Göteborg and Stockholm. Appeals against judgments and decisions of the Migration Courts may be lodged with the Migration Court of Appeal, which is part of the Stockholm Administrative Court.

Certain types of dispute involving rents, tenant-ownerships and leaseholds are dealt with by regional rent and leasehold tribunals.

These are quasi-judicial bodies which hold similar powers to the courts'.

Other special courts

There is no constitutional court or anything similar in Sweden.

Last update: 19/06/2012

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National specialised courts

Specialised courts

Other special courts