Hardanger District Court

Hardanger District Court (Norwegian: Hardanger tingrett) was a district court in the Hardanger region of Vestland county, Norway. The court was based in the village of Lofthus in Ullensvang Municipality, but it also has courts in Norheimsund and Odda. The court existed from 1919 until 2021. It had jurisdiction over the municipalities of Eidfjord, Kvam, Ullensvang, and Ulvik. Cases from this court could be appealed to Gulating Court of Appeal.^[1]

Hardanger District Court
Hardanger tingrett
60.3299255°N 6.6554903°E / 60.3299255; 6.6554903
Established	1919
Dissolved	26 April 2021
Jurisdiction	Hardanger, Norway
Location	Lofthus, Norway
Coordinates	60.3299255°N 6.6554903°E / 60.3299255; 6.6554903
Appeals to	Gulating Court of Appeal

The court was a court of first instance. Its judicial duties were mainly to settle criminal cases and to resolve civil litigation as well as bankruptcy. The administration and registration tasks of the court included death registration, issuing certain certificates, performing duties of a notary public, and officiating civil wedding ceremonies. Cases from this court were heard by a combination of professional judges and lay judges.^[2]

History

The court was originally created in 1591. In 1695, this court merged with the Voss District Court to form the new Hardanger og Voss District Court. In 1919, the old Hardanger og Voss District Court was split (back) into two courts: Voss District Court (which included Eidfjord, Ulvik, Granvin, Voss, Vossestrand, and Evanger) and Hardanger District Court (including the municipalities of Jondal, Kvam, Odda, Ullensvang, and Røldal). At the same time in 1919, Strandebarm municipality was moved from the Sunnhordland District Court to this court. On 1 January 2006, the old Voss District Court was closed with Voss Municipality moving to the Nordhordland District Court and Eidfjord, Ulvik, and Granvin joining this court.^[3] In 2019, jurisdiction over Granvin Municipality was transferred to the Bergen District Court because the municipality was to be merged with Voss Municipality which was already part of that court's jurisdiction.^[1] On 26 April 2021, Hardanger District Court was merged with the Bergen District Court to create the new Hordaland District Court.^[4]

References

1. "Om Hardanger tingrett" (in Norwegian). Hardanger tingrett.
2. Gisle, Jon, ed. (27 February 2022). "Tingrett". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
3. "Voss Sorenskrivararkiv" (in Norwegian). Arkivverket Statsarkiv i Bergen. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
4. "Forskrift om inndelingen av rettskretser og lagdømmer". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). 12 April 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2022.