Domstolslag

Detta är rubriken för Avdelning I och kapitel 1 om allmänna bestämmelser.

This is a chapter heading for “General provisions” and does not state any substantive rule.

This section says the law applies to courts, judges, other court members, staff, and certain judicial bodies and their personnel.

This section says the law applies to courts, judges, other court members, staff, and certain judicial bodies, with special rules for the Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, and the High Court of Impeachment.

The provision lists which courts are included in the ordinary courts, administrative courts, and special courts.

The provision lists which courts are included in the general courts, administrative courts, and special courts.

Courts exercise judicial power according to the constitution and are independent when doing so.

Courts exercise judicial power under the constitution and are independent when doing so.

Domstolarna ska själva organisera sin verksamhet enligt denna lag och annan lag, och domstolens arbetsordning ska godkännas av domstolen.

Courts organize their own operations and the court must approve the work order.

This section defines which court offices count as judges.

This section defines which officeholders count as judges in different Finnish courts, and says courts may also have other members if another law provides for it.

A judge must exercise judicial power independently.

A judge must act independently when exercising judicial power.

Domare och andra domstolsledamöter ska avge en domarförsäkran innan de börjar sitt uppdrag.

Judges and other court members must give the judicial oath before starting their assignment.

Tingsrätten är första instans i tvistemål, brottmål och ansökningsärenden, om inte något annat föreskrivs.

Tingsrätten is the first instance for civil, criminal, and application cases unless another rule says otherwise.

Tingsrätten ska behandla och avgöra mål och ärenden vid sammanträde eller i kansliet.

Tingsrätten behandlar och avgör mål och ärenden vid sammanträde eller i kansliet. Ordföranden för tingsrätten kan vara lagmannen, en tingsdomare eller en tingsnotarie.

The section lists the district courts and says special rules apply when they act as land, maritime, or war courts.

Section 3 identifies which district courts are included and says special rules apply when district courts handle cases as land, maritime, or war courts.

A district court must have an office, may have additional offices and hearing places when needed, and hearings may be held elsewhere for special reasons. The Ministry of Justice issues rules on where offices and hearing places are located.

A district court must have an office. If needed, it may have several offices and hearing locations. For special reasons, hearings may also be held elsewhere within the district or outside it. The Ministry of Justice may issue rules on where district court offices and hearing locations are placed.

District court districts normally cover one or more provinces or municipalities, unless another law says otherwise; the State Council issues rules on these districts by ordinance.

A district court’s district covers one or more provinces or municipalities in one or more provinces, unless law says otherwise; rules on these districts are issued by government regulation.

Section 6 lists the members of a district court and notes special cases for lay judges, military members, and a chief judge in merged courts.

This section says who the members of a district court are, and it allows lay judges, military members in military cases, and a chief judge arrangement in merged district courts.

A court president must appoint at least one judge to handle land cases and land matters for up to five years at a time.

A district court chief judge must appoint at least one judge to handle land cases and land matters for up to five years at a time.

Hovrätten handlägger vissa överklaganden, klagomål och andra mål som lagen lägger på hovrätten, och den prövar också vissa tjänstebrottsmål som första instans.

Hovrätten ska behandla vissa besvär, klagomål och andra rättskipningsärenden som lagen hänvisar till hovrätten.

Hovrätten ska övervaka tingsrätterna i sin domkrets, vid behov rätta till upptäckta missförhållanden och lämna vissa uppgifter och rapporter till andra myndigheter.

Hovrätten supervises the district courts in its district, may get needed information from concerned authorities, and must report observations and certain misconduct-related circumstances to the Chancellor of Justice and the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Hovrätten ska behandla justitieförvaltningsärenden och andra ärenden som enligt lag ska avgöras av en hovrätt.

Hovrätten ska behandla justitieförvaltningsärenden och andra ärenden som enligt lag ska avgöras av en hovrätt.

Hovrätten handlägger och avgör rättskipningsmål och rättskipningsärenden vid sammanträde på föredragning eller vid huvudförhandling. Ordföranden är presidenten eller ett hovrättsråd.

Hovrätten behandlar och avgör rättskipningsmål och rättskipningsärenden vid föredragning eller huvudförhandling. Hovrättens ordförande är presidenten eller ett hovrättsråd.

This provision lists the appellate courts: Helsinki, Rovaniemi, Vaasa, Turku, and Eastern Finland.

The provision lists the appellate courts in Finland.

Court of appeal sessions must be held at the court’s place of seat, with limited permission to hold a main hearing elsewhere in the circuit or, for special reasons, outside it.

Hovrättens sammanträden ska hållas på hovrättens placeringsort, men huvudförhandling kan i vissa fall hållas på annan ort inom domkretsen eller, av särskilda skäl, utanför domkretsen.

A court of appeal’s district consists of one or more district court districts, unless a law says otherwise. The Council of State issues rules on these districts by regulation.

A court of appeal district normally consists of one or more district court districts, unless another rule is specifically laid down by law. The State Council issues regulations on court of appeal districts.

A court of appeal is composed of the president and court of appeal judges, may also have assessors, and the Helsinki Court of Appeal also has military members for military cases.

A court of appeal’s members are the president and court of appeal judges; it may also have assessors. At Helsinki Court of Appeal, military members may also participate in military cases.

Förvaltningsdomstolen ska behandla och avgöra vissa förvaltningsrättsliga besvär, förvaltningstvistemål och andra ärenden som hör till dess behörighet enligt lag.

The Administrative Court must handle and decide administrative appeals, administrative disputes, and other matters within its jurisdiction.

Förvaltningsdomstolen ska behandla och avgöra mål och ärenden vid sammanträde på föredragning.

Förvaltningsdomstolen ska behandla och avgöra mål och ärenden vid sammanträde på föredragning.

The administrative courts are Helsinki, Northern Finland, Hämeenlinna, Vaasa, Turku, and Eastern Finland. Åland’s administrative court is governed by separate statutory provisions.

The provision lists the administrative courts: Helsinki, Northern Finland, Hämeenlinna, Vaasa, Turku, and Eastern Finland. For the Åland Administrative Court, special statutory provisions apply.

A administrative court’s district is one or more regions, unless another law provides otherwise; the Government Council issues rules on districts and locations.

An administrative court district is one or more regions, unless another rule on court competence is set by law. The Government may issue regulations on the districts and locations of administrative courts.

An administrative court consists of specified judges and may also have assessors and expert members.

This section says an administrative court’s members are the president and administrative court judges, and that the court may also have assessors and expert members.

The provision says the Market Court is a special court for cases about competition, supervision, procurement, industrial property, copyright, and market law.

The Market Court is a special court for competition and supervision, procurement, industrial rights, copyright, and market law cases.

The section lists the members of the Market Court and says that expert members may also be present.

The provision lists the members of the Market Court and says that expert members may also be present.

Arbetsdomstolen är en specialdomstol för vissa arbets- och tjänstekollektivavtalsmål och behandlar besvärsärenden som hör till dess behörighet.

Arbetsdomstolen är en specialdomstol för vissa arbetstvister och vissa besvärsärenden.

This provision lists the members of the Labour Court and sets the number and types of expert members.

Bestämmelsen anger vilka ledamöter arbetsdomstolen har och hur de sakkunniga ledamöterna ska vara sammansatta.

Försäkringsdomstolen är en specialdomstol för socialförsäkringsmål som enligt lag hör till dess behörighet.

Försäkringsdomstolen är en specialdomstol för social trygghet som hanterar mål och ärenden inom sin lagstadgade behörighet.

The provision lists the members of the insurance court and describes the chief physician’s tasks.

The insurance court has specified types of members, and the chief physician must supervise how medical members apply legal principles and interpret the law consistently.

Chefsdomaren leder domstolen, och ledningsgruppen ska behandla vissa lednings- och förvaltningsärenden. Domstolen kan också ha en ledningsgrupp.

Chefsdomaren leder domstolen, domstolen may have a leadership group, and that group must consider certain governance and administration matters.

Chefsdomaren must ensure the court functions and develops, set and help achieve result targets, oversee consistent legal reasoning, and may participate in adjudication to the extent other duties allow.

The chief judge must ensure the court functions well, set and help achieve performance goals, oversee consistent legal reasoning, and take part in adjudication as other duties allow.

Chefsdomaren får avgöra vissa administrativa och ekonomiska ärenden och kan i vissa fall bestämma att ett ärende ska behandlas i plenum eller annan utökad sammansättning.

Chefsdomaren har rätt att avgöra vissa administrativa och ekonomiska ärenden och kan också bestämma att vissa lagstiftningsärenden ska behandlas i plenum eller annan utökad sammansättning.

A court may be divided into divisions, and the court’s rules of procedure must regulate that division. A division is led by a legally qualified judge appointed by the chief judge, unless the chief judge leads the division.

A court may be organised into divisions, and the court’s rules of procedure set out how that division is arranged.

The chief judge appoints a legally trained judge as division chief for at most three years at a time, and may revoke the appointment for weighty reasons.

Chefsdomaren ska utse en lagfaren domare till avdelningschef för högst tre år i taget.

Avdelningschefen leder arbetet inom avdelningen and must ensure planning, organization, and results, and monitor consistent legal principles and interpretation.

Avdelningschefen leder arbetet inom avdelningen och ska sörja för planering, organisering, resultat och en enhetlig rättstillämpning.

Cases must be allocated under clear rules in the work order, and the parties have a right to have their case decided independently, impartially, and quickly.

Cases and matters must be allocated for preparation and decision according to the grounds set out in the rules of procedure, and those grounds must be clear.

Omfördelning av ett mål eller ärende mot en domares vilja får ske bara med vägande skäl; chefsdomaren eller, vid högsta domstolen och högsta förvaltningsdomstolen, presidenten beslutar, och beslutet ska motiveras.

The chief judge, or the president of the Supreme Court/Supreme Administrative Court, decides case reassignment. Reassignment against a judge’s will is only allowed for weighty reasons, and the decision must be reasoned.

Chefsdomaren fastställer domstolens arbetsordning och ska först höra ledningsgruppen, eller de ordinarie domarna om ingen ledningsgrupp finns.

Chefsdomaren fastställer domstolens arbetsordning och ska innan dess höra ledningsgruppen, eller de ordinarie domarna om det saknas ledningsgrupp.

Courts must submit an annual report on their activities. Several courts may also prepare one joint activity report.

Courts must submit an annual report on their activities, and several courts may prepare a joint report.

Judges must act independently, be bound only by law in their judicial work, decide assigned cases, and handle matters carefully and without delay.

A judge must decide assigned cases, act conscientiously and carefully, and handle matters without delay.

The provision says that rules on judges’ responsibility for official acts are found in section 118 of the Constitution and in other laws.

The section says rules on judges’ responsibility for official acts are found in the Constitution and in other laws.

En domare får vara föredragande när ett mål eller ärende enligt lag ska avgöras i domstolen på föredragning.

A judge may act as rapporteur when a case or matter is to be decided in court on presentation.

Judges must maintain and develop their legal knowledge, legal expertise, and professional skill, and they must be offered sufficient training with an opportunity to take part.

Judges must maintain and develop their legal knowledge, legal expertise, and professional skill, and they must be offered sufficient training with the opportunity to take part in it.

A judge may not take or hold a secondary job unless the court grants permission on application, and permission may not be granted for serving as an arbitrator appointed by only one party in a dispute before an arbitral panel.

A judge may not take or hold a secondary job unless the court grants permission on application, and permission may not be granted for acting as an arbitrator appointed by only one party in a dispute.

A judge’s side-job permit is granted on application by the court where the judge works, with special decision-makers for certain senior judges; the applicant must also give the chief judge details of parties to an arbitration dispute.

A judge’s side-job permit is granted on application by the relevant court, with special granting authorities for certain senior judges. The applicant must also provide the parties to any arbitration-handled dispute in the application to the chief judge.

A judge must report annual side-job income to the court if total side-job income exceeds EUR 10,000, list the side jobs, name the payer for non-arbitration side jobs, and notify the court without delay when a side job ends.

A judge must report yearly to the court how much was paid for side activities if total side-income exceeds 10,000 euros, name the side activities, and for non-arbitration side activities identify who paid the fee; the judge must also promptly notify the court when a side activity ends.

Only Finnish citizens with the stated law degree, prior relevant experience, and suitable personal qualities may be appointed as judges.

Judges may be appointed only if they are Finnish citizens with the required law degree, relevant experience, and suitable personal qualities.

Certain persons may be appointed as presidents or members of the supreme court and supreme administrative court if they meet section 1 requirements and have excellent legal knowledge; the court presidents must also have leadership ability.

Personer som uppfyller kraven i 1 § och har utmärkta lagkunskaper kan utnämnas till president eller ledamot i högsta domstolen och högsta förvaltningsdomstolen; presidenterna ska dessutom ha ledarförmåga.

A person may be appointed chief judge only if they also meet the requirements in section 1 and have leadership ability.

A person may be appointed chief judge if they also meet the requirements in section 1 and have leadership ability.

A land-court judge at a district court must be familiar with property law and the handling of property matters.

Den jordrättsansvariga domaren vid en jorddomstol i tingsrätt ska vara förtrogen med fastighetslagstiftningen och handläggningen av fastighetsärenden.

A person serving as a jordrättsingenjör at a district court that is a land court must have the specified engineering degree, relevant experience with property surveys, and familiarity with property valuation.

Den som tjänstgör som jordrättsingenjör vid en tingsrätt som är jorddomstol måste ha viss lämplig diplomingenjörsexamen och viss erfarenhet och förtrogenhet.

Certain members handling cases under the Water Act and Environmental Protection Act must, if they are not legally trained members, have a suitable higher degree in technical or natural sciences and be familiar with the relevant legislative tasks.

Some panel members handling cases under the Water Act and Environmental Protection Act must have a suitable higher university degree in technology or science and be familiar with the tasks in the relevant law area, unless they are legally trained members.

Överdomaren och marknadsrättsdomarna vid marknadsdomstolen måste dessutom vara förtrogna med vissa typer av konkurrens-, tillsyns-, upphandlings-, immaterialrätts-, upphovsrätts- och marknadsrättsärenden.

Överdomaren och marknadsrättsdomarna vid marknadsdomstolen måste vara förtrogna med vissa typer av ärenden.

A fit Finnish citizen with suitable higher technical education, familiarity with patent matters, and the required personal qualities may be appointed as a market rights engineer.

A person may be appointed as a market law engineer only if they are an honest Finnish citizen with a suitable higher university degree in a technical field, familiarity with patent matters, and the personal qualities needed.

A person appointed as a judge must have excellent oral and written skills in the majority language of the court district, plus the required skill in the other language at monolingual or bilingual courts.

A person appointed as a judge must have strong oral and written skills in the majority language of the court district, plus the required skills in the other language depending on whether the court is monolingual or bilingual.

Vid tvåspråkiga tingsrätter måste det finnas tillräckligt många tingsdomartjänster med särskilda språkkunskaper, och varje sådan domstol måste ha minst en sådan tjänst.

Two-language district courts must have enough judge posts with special language skills, and each such court must always have at least one.

The Ministry of Justice must ask the National Courts Administration for an opinion on the need for certain judge posts before the matter is presented to the Council of State; the Council of State issues rules on how many such posts exist at each bilingual court.

At certain bilingual courts, there may be enough judge posts requiring specified language skills. The number of such posts is set by government decree, and the Ministry of Justice must ask the Courts Administration for an opinion before the matter is presented to the Government.

Dispensation from the qualification requirements for judge posts may not be granted.

Dispens från behörighetsvillkoren för domartjänster kan inte beviljas.

Judges are appointed as permanent unless they are appointed to a fixed-term post on the stated grounds; assessors are appointed for a fixed term; chief judges and the presidents of the supreme courts are also appointed for fixed terms or as permanent, as specified.

Bestämmelsen säger hur vissa domartjänster ska tillsättas: domare och vissa högsta domstols- och förvaltningsdomstols-presidenter utnämns som ordinarie, medan assessorer och chefsdomare vid domstolarna utnämns för viss tid.

Chefsdomare utnämns normalt för sju år, men inte längre än till den ordinarie avgångsåldern för domare.

Chief judges are appointed for seven years, but no later than the retirement age for judges; shorter appointments are allowed in the cases set out in Chapter 12, Section 1.

Republikens president utnämner ordinarie domare och chefsdomare, på förslag av statsrådet, när de utnämns till en tjänst enligt 2 § 1 mom.

Republikens president utnämner ordinarie domare och chefsdomare när de tillsätts enligt 2 § 1 mom., och gör det på statsrådets förslag.

Certain judge positions must be declared open for applications before they are filled; the decision is made by the specified court depending on the office.

Vissa domartjänster ska utlysas innan de tillsätts, och olika domstolar beslutar om ledigförklaringen beroende på vilken tjänst det gäller.

Domstolsverket ska sköta de praktiska åtgärderna vid ledigförklaring av en domartjänst och göra ett merit-sammandrag som lämnas till berörda domstolar och domarförslagsnämnden.

Domstolsverket must handle practical steps for announcing vacant judgeships and prepare and send a summary of applicants’ merits to the relevant courts and the Judicial Appointments Board. For certain Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court posts, those tasks are handled by the relevant top court instead.

Domstolen får av giltiga skäl besluta att en domartjänst ska sökas på nytt, förlänga ansökningstiden eller återkalla ledigförklaringen. Tidigare sökande ska beaktas utan ny ansökan.

A court may, for valid reasons, reopen a judicial vacancy for applications or extend the application period; prior applicants are still considered. The court that made the vacancy decision decides these matters, and Domstolsverket handles the related practical steps except for the Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court.

The President of the Republic appoints certain top court presidents without a proposal. The Supreme Court, the Supreme Administrative Court, and the judicial appointments board make reasoned proposals for other judicial appointments.

The President appoints the presidents of the Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court without a proposal. For other judge appointments, the relevant court or the judicial appointments board makes a reasoned proposal.

The Judicial Appointments Board may give an opinion in a case about appointing a judge of the Supreme Court or Supreme Administrative Court if the court asks for it.

Domarförslagsnämnden may give an opinion in a case about appointing a member of the Supreme Court or the Supreme Administrative Court if the court asks for it.

Domarförslagsnämnden ska före en utnämningsframställning begära utlåtanden om sökande, och sökandena ska få tillfälle att yttra sig över inhämtade utlåtanden och utredningar.

Domarförslagsnämnden ska före en utnämningsframställning inhämta vissa utlåtanden och ge de sökande möjlighet att yttra sig.

Bestämmelsen anger vem som lämnar utlåtande vid tillsättning av en domartjänst och när en viss domstolssammansättning är beslutför.

Different courts must issue an opinion when a judge post is being filled, and one listed court composition is quorum-based on the chief judge plus at least half of the other members or deputies.

The court’s opinion must state which applicant should be appointed and give a reasoned assessment of the applicants’ merits, competence, and relative ranking.

Domstolens utlåtande ska vara motiverat och ange vem som bör utnämnas.

Den som föreslås till en ordinarie domartjänst ska lämna en bindningsredogörelse före utnämningen, och domare ska utan dröjsmål rapportera ändringar i sina bindningar.

People proposed for an ordinary judgeship must submit a conflicts-of-interest declaration before appointment, and judges must report changes in their bindings without delay.

En chefsdomare som inte har blivit ordinarie i någon annan domartjänst har rätt att efter mandatperioden bli utnämnd till ordinarie lagfaren domare, först vid den domstol där personen tjänstgjort och vid behov vid en annan lämplig domstol.

A chief judge who has not already been appointed to another permanent judicial post has a right, when the specified term ends, to be appointed as a permanent legally trained judge at the court where they served, or if needed at another suitable court that they qualify for.

En domare kan utnämnas till ett tidsbegränsat tjänsteförhållande vid en domstol när vissa villkor är uppfyllda.

A judge may be appointed to a temporary service position when a permanent or fixed-term chief judge position is unfilled, or when a judge is unavailable or on vacation; temporary appointment may also be used when the court needs it because of the number or type of cases or other special reasons.

Fixed-term judicial appointments must be declared open for applications if the appointment is for at least six months; fixed-term appointments as a member of the Supreme Court or Supreme Administrative Court must be opened regardless of appointment length.

A fixed-term judges’ position must be declared open for applications if the appointment is for at least six months; for fixed-term member posts in the Supreme Court or Supreme Administrative Court, this applies regardless of length.

The President and certain courts are empowered to appoint specified judges to fixed-term service posts, in some cases only on a proposal from the relevant court and when a chief judge position is vacant.

The President appoints certain Supreme Court and Supreme Administrative Court members to fixed-term service, and the supreme courts may appoint certain judges to fixed-term service when a chief judge post is vacant.

Certain courts may appoint judges to fixed-term service, and the chief judge must consult others before one such appointment unless that is unnecessary.

Högsta domstolen, Högsta förvaltningsdomstolen och en domstols chefsdomare får utse domare till tidsbegränsade tjänsteförhållanden enligt de villkor som anges här.

Certain judges appointed for a fixed term must file interest reports before appointment and while serving; judges appointed as members of the Supreme Court or Supreme Administrative Court must do so regardless of appointment length.

Certain judges appointed to fixed-term service must submit declarations of their ties before appointment and while serving; the rule applies to appointments longer than one year, and also to appointments as members of the Supreme Court or Supreme Administrative Court regardless of length.

Leave decisions for judges are made by the respective court, unless section 2 of this chapter says otherwise.

The respective court decides on leave of absence for judges under section 23 of the Civil Servants Act, unless section 2 of this chapter says otherwise.

A chief judge may take leave under section 23 of the civil service law for up to one month per year; longer leave is decided by the specified higher courts.

En chefsdomare får ta tjänstledighet i högst en månad per år, och längre ledighet beslutas av vissa domstolar.

If the chief judge is unable to serve, the substitute is a designated department head or another legally qualified judge; if no designation exists, the oldest serving department head, or otherwise the oldest serving legally qualified judge, substitutes.

If the chief judge is prevented, a deputy is appointed under the work order; if no appointment exists, the specified senior acting judge steps in.

A substitute for a division head is the judge appointed as substitute in the work order; if none is appointed, the oldest serving legally trained judge in that division serves as substitute.

Bestämmer vem som ska vara ställföreträdare för en avdelningschef när chefen är förhindrad.

Certain courts may appoint another qualified judge when a judge is biased.

Certain courts may, when needed, appoint another qualified judge to replace a disqualified judge.

A judge may be temporarily assigned to another court with consent, for up to one year at a time, if the receiving court’s workload justifies it.

A judge may be assigned to work at another court for up to one year at a time, if the judge consents and the assignment is justified by the receiving court’s caseload. Certain higher courts issue these temporary assignments, and the sending court’s consent must be requested first.

A district court may assign a land survey engineer to handle certain land matters at another district court within the same cooperation area, and the appointing district court issues the assignment.

A district court may assign a land survey engineer to handle certain land cases and related matters at another district court within the same cooperation area.

Vid omstrukturering av domstolsväsendet kan domare flyttas enligt särskilda regler, med krav på lämplig tjänst och vissa rättigheter om samtycke saknas.

Rules on transferring judges during court reorganization, including consent, priority for judge posts, and possible dismissal for unjustified refusal.

Bestämmelsen anger vilken domstolschef eller högre domstolspresident som ger en skriftlig varning till olika domare.

This section says which court official gives a written warning to a judge, and it names special officials for certain judge roles.

This section says which court decides on suspending a judge from judicial service, and names special higher courts for certain senior judges.

This provision says which court decides whether a judge is suspended from judicial service.

A judge may be granted dismissal by the court where the judge serves, on application.

A judge may be granted dismissal by the court where the judge serves, on application.

A judge must resign if illness, a defect, or bodily injury has caused loss of work capacity.

A judge must resign if illness, defect, or injury has caused loss of working ability.

A judge may remain competent to handle a case or matter after leaving judicial service if the case was decided, or a proposal for decision was submitted, while the judge was serving.

A judge can still be competent in a case after leaving judicial service if the case was decided or prepared during that judge’s service.

A special member is treated like a judge when exercising judicial power independently.

En sakkunnigledamot ska behandlas som en domare när personen utövar dömande makt oberoende.

Sakkunnigledamöter har rätt att vara kvar i uppdraget till mandattidens slut, med de undantag som anges i 18–21 §.

Sakkunnigledamöter har rätt att stanna kvar i uppdraget till mandattidens slut, med vissa undantag.

Statsrådet and the Republic’s President appoint expert members to specified courts.

Statsrådet and the Republic’s President appoint expert members to specified courts.

The number of expert members must be sufficient, and a sufficient number of substitutes may be appointed for them.

The number of expert members must be sufficient, and the rules on expert members also apply to alternates.

Sakkunnigledamöter utses för fem år i taget, och en vakant plats får fyllas med en ny ledamot. Ett förordnande gäller dock högst tills ledamoten når den avgångsålder som gäller för domare.

Expert members are appointed for five years at a time, and a vacancy may be filled by appointing a new expert member. An appointment lasts at most until the member reaches the retirement age set for judges.

Each court must make the expert lay judge positions public. The court may also obtain opinions and other information about applicants.

Each court must declare expert-member positions vacant, and the court may obtain opinions and other information about applicants.