Sunnmøre District Court


Sunnmøre District Court is a district court located in the town of Ålesund in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. The court serves most of the southern third of the county, except the far southern part, and it includes the municipalities of Ålesund, Giske, Haram, Hareid, Norddal, Skodje, Stordal, Stranda, Sula, Sykkylven, Ulstein and Ørskog. The court is subordinate to the Frostating Court of Appeal. The court is led by the chief judge Kirsti Høegh Bjørneset. This court employs a chief judge, seven other judges, and several prosecutors.
The court is a court of first instance. Its judicial duties are mainly to settle criminal cases and to resolve civil litigation as well as bankruptcy. The administration and registration tasks of the court include death registration, issuing certain certificates, performing duties of a notary public, and officiating civil wedding ceremonies. Cases from this court are heard by a combination of professional judges and lay judges. Cases from this district court may be appealed to the Frostating Court of Appeal.

History

In 1798, the old Sunnmøre district court was divided into Søre Sunnmøre District Court and Nordre Sunnmøre District Court. The northern area roughly corresponded to the present day Sunnmøre District Court. The name of the northern court was later changed to simply Sunnmøre District Court. In 1967, the municipalities of Ulstein and Hareid were transferred from the Søre Sunnmøre District Court to the Sunnmøre District Court.