Known as trial lawyers, litigation attorneys in Sweden represent legal professionals that defend individuals in civil lawsuits. This kind of lawsuit has no criminal penalty, but it can result in paying significant compensation or damages to the plaintiff.
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Litigation in Sweden
Litigation in Sweden is described as the practice of disputing in the courts of law such as the general courts, courts of appeal, the Supreme Court and district courts. Litigation in Sweden is governed by the law named Swedish Code of Judicial Procedure. This law is addressing to all characteristics of civil procedures, describing the roles and responsibilities of the parties, including companies, involved in litigation.
If you are looking for more information or support regarding litigation, our law firm in Sweden is represented by specialized lawyers who can provide all the needed details.
Court System in Sweden
The Swedish court system is divided into three main groups: the Ordinary Courts, Administrative Courts and Specialized Courts.
- The General Court usually handles criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases. Some district courts may also have the task to determine more specific goals. The Administrative Courts deal with cases of public law, in cases where an individual acts against the public authorities, such as in tax and social insurance.
- The District Court is a court of first instance and it consists in the chief judge, chief aldermen, aldermen, assessors, lawyers and notaries. A district court’s geographical area of law enforcement is called jurisdiction. A District Court’s judgments and orders can be generally appealed to a Court of Appeal. Judgments and decisions in labor disputes handled by the District Court can be appealed however to the Labor Court. Decisions taken in respect to the issuance of public documents from the District Court’s administrative department can be appealed to a Court of Appeal.
- The Court of Appeal is the second instance in criminal and civil cases and handles the processes on appeal from a district court within the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal. There are 6 Courts of Appeal in Sweden: Svea Court of Appeal (with the seat in Stockholm), Göta Court of Appeal (with the seat in Jönköping ), The Court of Appeal for Skåne and Blekinge (with the seat in Malmö), Appeal for Western Sweden (with the seat in Gothenburg), Appeal for Lower Norrland (with the seat in Sundsvall), Appeal for Lower Norrland (with the seat in Sundsvall).
In conformation with the legislation applied in the Swedish court system, our attorneys in Sweden offer specialized support in various legislative matters. You can find legal representation on financial matters, such as debt collection or tax disputes which need to move in court. More than that, our legal services offer representation in court for personal issues like divorce. Keep in touch with the experts from our law firm in Sweden in order to benefit from all of our services.
Other dispute resolution procedures in Sweden
Besides litigation, parties disputing in Sweden also have the option to choose arbitration. Arbitration represents a procedure in which a dispute is submitted to one or more arbitrators who create an irrevocable decision on the dispute. Rather than going to court, by choosing arbitration the parties involved prefer a private dispute to resolve the case. An arbitration agreement must be issued in order to start this procedure.
Our Swedish lawyers can offer their expertise and support in order to set up an arbitration agreement.
Costs and duration of litigation in Sweden
There are three primary costs for litigation in general courts in Sweden:
- court fees;
- legal fees;
- litigation expenses.
Generally, court fees are modest, but the parties are responsible for their own legal representation which means that attorneys in Sweden have fees based upon different factors such as how difficult the case is and how much experience the chosen lawyer has.
When it comes to duration, litigation in Sweden can have a various time-frame, depending on several factors such as the complexity of the case and legal issues. Considering these factors, a case could be finalized in a few years.
Companies and individuals in Sweden can avoid any dispute related to taxes if they choose to work with a team of Accountants in Sweden who have a lot of experience in the field and who can help them to comply with all tax regulations in this country.
Swedish Court Statistics
According to official data of the Swedish Court, various court cases in this country are maintaining an equilibrate number between 2019 and 2023:
- District courts development of cases was 264,433 in 2019, with a small increase of 291,645 cases in 2023. This includes all kinds of court cases like FT (for trial) cases, joint petitions, family or civil cases.
- When it comes to civil cases, the percentage of cases determined through a judgement in 2019 was 30%, while in 2023 it has decreased to 27%.
In addition to legal assistance, we are at your service if you are interested in opening a company in Sweden. We can also offer support in filing tax returns. Financial statements must be prepared while taking into account the requirements of IFRSs (International Financial Reporting Standards), GAAPs (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), and any other applicable financial reporting framework. For information on our services in this regard, get in touch with our CPA in Sweden.
For more information, do not hesitate to contact our lawyers in Sweden for legal representation in court.