Rethinking Nordic Courts

This open access book examines whether a distinctly Nordic procedural or court culture exists and what the hallmarks of that culture are. Do Nordic courts and court proceedings share a distinct set of ideas and values that in combination constitute the core of a regional legal culture? How do Europeanisation, privatisation, diversification and digitisation influence courts and court proceedings in the Nordic countries? The book traces the genesis and formation of Nordic courts and justice systems to provide a richer comprehension of contemporary Nordic legal culture, and an understanding of the relationship between legal cultural stability and change. In answering these questions, the book provides models for conceptualising procedural culture.

Nordic procedural culture has partly developed organically and is partly also the product of deliberate efforts to maintain a certain level of alignment between the Nordic countries. Studying Nordic cooperation enables us to gain a deeper understanding of current regional, European and global harmonisation processes within procedural law.

The influx of supranational European law, increased use of alternative dispute resolution and growth in regulation density that produces a conflict between specialisation and coherence, have tangible impact on the role of courts in a democratic society, the form of court proceedings and court structures. This book examines whether and why some trends exert more tangible, or perhaps simply more perceptible, influence on procedural culture than others.

This book is open access, which means that you have free and unlimited access Pursues a comprehensive, comparative approach to court culture Demonstrates the impact of globalization, privatization and digitization on procedural law Offers an in-depth study of related court cultures and how they are shaped by current trends Represents an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the Nordic legal culture, particularly the justice system

Auteur
Laura Ervo has been a Professor at Örebro University since 2010. Her experience spans 30 years of working at various universities throughout the Nordic countries. She is also an Adjunct Professor of Procedural Law at the Universities of Turku, Helsinki, and Eastern Finland. Her research output includes some 170 publications, many of them addressing human rights within the field of procedural law. In 2011, she was awarded the title Excellent Teacher by Örebro University. Pia Letto-Vanamo is a Professor at the University of Helsinki. A legal historian and comparative lawyer specializing in European and Nordic legal history, Nordic legal culture(s) and transnational law, she is currently serving as Dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Helsinki. She has published several books and articles on European and Nordic legal history, the history of legal integration, on legal cultures around the world, and on questions concerning access to justice and the ADR. Anna Nylund is a Professor of Law at the University of Tromsø. Her main research interests are in comparative and European aspects of civil procedure law, alternative dispute resolution, and child law. She has co-directed several research projects on e.g. EU and national civil procedure and Scandinavian mediation. She presents regularly at international conferences and is a member of several international scholarly associations.

Contenu
Chapter 1. Introduction to Nordic Courts and Court Culture.- Part I: The Historical, Cultural and Linguistic Roots of the Nordic Court Culture.- Chapter 2. A sketch of the Development of Nordic Court Procedure and Court Culture, and Assessment of the Level of Nordic-ness Over Time and Reasons for Variation.- Chapter 3. Sources of Inspiration of Nordic Procedural Law.- Chapter 4. Courts, Law, Language and Culture.- Part II: Identifying Elements of a Nordic Court Culture.- Chapter 5. The Legal Cultural Model as a Tool for Analysis and Comparison.- Chapter 6. Culture, Society and Mentality in Nordic Courts.- Chapter 7. Nordic Courts in a European Perspective. A Comparative Perspective on Nordic Court Procedure in an Age of Convergence, Approximation and Harmonization.- Part III: Global Trends and Their Impact on Nordic Court Procedure.- Chapter 8. Globalization, Privatization, Diversification A Farewell to Classic Court Procedure?.- Chapter 9. The Narrowing Space for National Courts Fact or Fiction?.- Chapter 10. Not So National? Trends in Criminal Procedure.- Part IV: Europeanisation, Globalization of Court Procedure.- Chapter 11. Dialogue Between Courts.- Chapter 12. The Changing Role of Nordic Courts.- Chapter 13. European Criminal Procedure and Nordic Courts.- Chapter 14. Fragmentation, Privatization, of Court Procedure.- Chapter 15. Does Membership in the EU Matter in a Multi-speed Europe?.- Chapter 16. Iceland Court Culture on the Outskirts of Europe.- Part V: The Changing Role of Courts Diversification of Procedure, Specialization of Courts.- Chapter 17. Mediation: A Change in Court Culture?.- Chapter 18. Plea Bargaining: Criminal Justice as Communication.- Chapter 19. Small Claims in a Nordic Context.- Chapter 20. Online Dispute Resolution and the Role of Courts.- Part VI: Nordic Courts and Cooperation.- Chapter 21. Nordic Cooperation - Past, Present and Future.- Chapter 22. Is there a Nordic Court Culture?.- Part VII: The End or a New Beginning for Nordic Court Culture.- Chapter 23. Conclusions Mapping the Future of Nordic Court Culture.