The Chancellor of Justice is a non-political civil servant appointed by the Government. The period of time for which he or she is appointed is not limited. The Office of the Chancellor of Justice is an independent authority and the Chancellor performs his or her duties from a strictly legal point of view. The duties of the Chancellor of Justice are set forth in two legal instruments: The Act (1975:1339) concerning the supervision exercised by the Chancellor of Justice and the Ordinance (1975:1345) concerning the duties of the Chancellor of Justice.
The Office of the Chancellor of Justice was introduced by King Charles XII in 1713. The present Chancellor Mari Heidenborg took up office on September, 1st 2018.
The main tasks of the Chancellor of Justice are to:
- Act as the Government's ombudsman in the supervision of authorities and civil servants.
- Represent the State in legal disputes, primarily actions for damages against the State.
- Ensure that the limits of the freedom of the press and other media are not transgressed and to act as sole prosecutor in cases concerning offences against the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression.
The Chancellor of Justice is free to raise issues on the supervision of authorities of his or her own motion. The majority of cases are however initiated by private parties by means of submitting a written complaint, thus drawing the Chancellor's attention to malpractice or abuse of powers within the public administration. It falls within the competence of The Chancellor of Justice to reach out of court settlements on behalf of the State in actions for damages ("voluntary settlement of claim"). Individuals may therefore turn directly to the Chancellor of Justice with a written application for compensation. If the application is rejected by the Chancellor the right to initiate court proceedings remains.
In 2018 the Chancellor of Justice handled a total of 7 818 cases. About 1 100 of those were complaints concerning public administration, 3 900 claims for compensation (1 900 concerning persons arrested or detained) and 317 alleged offences of the Freedom of the Press Act or the Freedom of Expression Act. Some 2 000 cases related to legal aid.
Act as the Government's ombudsman in the supervision of authorities and civil servants.
Represent the State in legal disputes, primarily actions for damages against the State.
Ensure that the limits of the freedom of the press and other media are not transgressed and to act as sole prosecutor in cases concerning offences against the freedom of the press and the freedom of expression.
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