Specialised courts

A number of specialised courts and tribunals have been established to hear specific kinds of cases and matters:

The Labour Court (Arbetsdomstolen) deals with labour disputes. A labour dispute is any dispute concerning the relationship between employers and employees. The Labour Court is normally the first and only instance competent in labour disputes. However, some types of labour dispute are heard first in a district court, after which an appeal may be lodged with the Labour Court, which then becomes the court of second and final instance.
The Market Court (Marknadsdomstolen) deals, among other things, with disputes under the Competition Act and the Marketing Practices Act.
The Court of Patent Appeals (Patentbesvärsrätten) handles appeals against the decisions of the Swedish Patent and Registration Office (Patent- och registreringsverket), concerning patents, trademarks and designs and so on. Appeals against the court’s decisions may be lodged with the Supreme Administrative Court (Högsta förvaltningsdomstolen).

Land and Environment Courts (Mark- och miljödomstolar) 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 (Mark- och miljööverdomstolen), 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 (Högsta domstolen).

Maritime Courts (Sjörättsdomstolar) 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 Värmland.

Migration Courts (Migrationsdomstolar) review decisions by the Swedish Migration Agency (Migrationsverket) on matters concerning aliens and citizenship. The Migration Courts are specialised courts which are part of the Administrative Courts in Malmö, Gothenburg, Stockholm and Luleå. Appeals against judgments and decisions of the Migration Courts may be lodged with the Migration Court of Appeal (Migrationsöverdomstolen), 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 (hyres- och arrendenämnder). These are quasi-judicial bodies with powers similar to those of the courts.

Other special courts

There is no constitutional court or similar body in Sweden.

Last update: 14/01/2020

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National specialised courts

Specialised courts

Other special courts