sou · H5B385 · 2017-11-08 00:00:00 — Assessment of whether confidentiality needs to be introduced, in order to expand the recruitment pool for permanent judges, must start with careful, reasonable balancing of the public’s need for transparency and the scope for boosting the number of applicants for permanent judges’ positions by introducing confidentiality. Service as co-opted judge to qualify for judges’ positions One starting point is that the profession of judge should continue to be accessible to highly skilled lawyers who are suited to the pro- fession but lack previous experience of court work. It should be possible for proficient, suitable lawyers without a court back- ground to be appointed as permanent judges. Nonetheless, our analysis shows that court service is often a good qualification for those seeking permanent judges’ appointments. We propose a new opportunity for qualified, experienced lawyers wishing to gain an understanding of court work to gain further qualifications for permanent judges’ appointments by serving as judges. We propose that such training should be offered to 50 lawyers per year. The new system of becoming qualified as a judge should include the requirement of serving for at least six months in a superior court followed by at least six months in a lower court. This would represent an opportunity for lawyers to immerse themselves in new legal areas while gaining experience of adjudication in superior and inferior courts. It would also provide scope for references from two courts for a qualified and experienced lawyer who has obtained the required credentials to become a judge and who chooses to apply for a permanent judge’s position. Board and the Government would thus receive more extensive documentation for assessing the applicant’s skill and suitability. We recommend introducing a new judge’s position as ‘co-opted judge’ for those in the process of qualifying themselves. The con- tent of the work should focus on branches of law and case types of which the co-opted judge has limited previous experience. This means more training in new legal areas and a reduced risk of situa- tions involving conflict of interest. We also propose coordination of the qualification process for judges among the courts, and that should announce vacant positions for co-opted judges. Expanded special judges’ training Enable more people to complete special judges’ training To ensure that permanent judges can be recruited from the most proficient and professionally suited lawyers, more applicants are generally required for permanent judges’ appointments. The system for recruiting permanent judges cannot be based on scope to recruit permanent judges solely from lawyers who are working outside the courts. Another requirement is for the courts to offer many more lawyers than today the opportunity to complete the special judges’ training. Not all those who undergo this training and become deputy judges stay in the courts. Many employers (such as the Swedish Government Offices, the Riksdag and the Parliamentary Ombuds- men) base their activities on trained deputy judges being available for recruitment. This also applies to other state employers. The special training for judges should therefore be offered to more skilled lawyers early in their careers. The courts have the capacity to train more judges, and lawyers training to become judges play an impor- tant part in the courts’ (both superior and lower courts’) activities. We propose that another 50 lawyers should complete the special judges’ training each year. Attractive special judges’ training that enables lawyers to get established in a location The training should also be adapted to the needs of young lawyers to equip themselves to work as judges, and to remain and work in courts at various locations around . This is necessary if permanent judges are, in the future, to be recruited throughout the country. Those who undergo the special judges’ training and are appointed to work in a lower court for two years should be given the opportunity to find out, at an early stage, in which court their lower- court service is to be carried out. We also recommend enabling those who have completed the special training and become deputy judges to be offered the opportunity of two years’ further service in a lower court. Lawyers who have undergone the judges’ training should therefore be able to obtain additional credentials to qualify for permanent judges’ appointments by continuing to work in courts, especially courts outside the metropolitan areas. This would improve these lawyers’ of establishing themselves and working for extended periods in non-metropolitan locations. In the long run, this may help to boost numbers of applicants for permanent positions as judges in locations where recruitment of permanent judges may currently be difficult. Statutory rules on who exercises power to sentence Judges can be divided into two categories: permanent and non- permanent. Permanent judges are appointed through proxy by the Government. The non-permanent judges include stand-ins for permanent judges and temporarily employed additional judges. There are also judges in training who are junior judges in lower or superior courts or co-opted members of superior courts. Stand-ins for permanent judges and temporary additional judges are, in some cases, employed through government decisions. Other non-per- manent judges are employed by superior or lower courts. Approximately a third of the judges are in non-permanent positions. Moreover, in the lower courts there are law clerks and drafting lawyers who have qualified as law clerks. These are allowed to judge and make decisions in simpler cases. Today, which of the various permanent judges are allowed to adjudicate in the general and administrative courts is regulated by the Swedish Code of Judicial Procedure and the Administrative Court Act (1971:289). There is no statutory provision whereby non-permanent judges may judge in the courts. For constitutional reasons, for public understanding of the courts’ activities and for confidence in the courts, it is important for the law to define who is authorised to exercise the power of sentencing. We therefore recommend making it clear in the provisions of the Code of Judicial Procedure and in the Administrative Court Act that there are stand-ins and additional judges, as well as judges who are employed for training purposes, in the courts. The basic stages of work to recruit permanent judges should be laid down by law. ’s task of conducting and long- term work to promote the recruitment of permanent judges should be regulated in the Appointment Act. It is important to emphasise that the permanent judges’ recruitment is based on cooperation and coordination among , the individual courts and the . It is vital for the Board, based on the requirements imposed on judges and the courts, to continuously adapt the criteria used for assessing the skill and suitability of those applying for employment as permanent judges. We also consider that the Board should, to a greater extent than today, work to clarify the documentation provided by the referees in appointment cases. A more recruitment procedure should include helping to improve scope for assessing the skill and suitability of applicants who have qualified for permanent judges’ appointments other than by serving in court. We consider that the Board should be given the capacity to recruit human resources expertise to a greater extent than today. We also propose adding a provision to the Appointment Act whereby, when the recruitment does not concern a court manager’s appointment, should obtain an opinion from the manager of the court concerned in the case. We recommend allowing a representative of the to attend and comment at the Board’s meeting on matters relating to a court manager’s appointment. We also propose allowing the Board, to enable it to evaluate the applicants’ skill and suitability, to engage a subject specialist to attend the Board’s meeting and express opinions. A relevant case may, for example, concern employing a technical advisor when expert knowledge is needed to assess the requirements of a specific position and the skills of a particular applicant. Rule on confidentiality in initial stage of application procedure We have examined various ways of regulating confidentiality, to apply during ’s proceedings, that would achieve an appropriate balance between the interest of transparency and that of protection for information about the applicants. Although there are particulars about the applicants that can be protected, the purpose of confidentiality rules is to boost the number of applicants for perma- nent judges’ appointments. One possible way of regulating confidentiality that we have considered is a rule that applies to all data capable of providing any indications of the applicant’s identity. We have also analysed vari- ous forms of more restrictive confidentiality regulation. One way of achieving more restricted regulation of confidentiality that we have considered is to limit it to certain types of information about the applicants. Another way we have considered is to limit regu- lation of confidentiality to matters relating to appointment of judg- es in certain categories, such as court managers and Supreme Court . Moreover, we have considered introducing rules that would entail an individual confidentiality review of reasons for and against the confidentiality of each individual applicant’s particulars. We have also analysed various ways of confining the confidentiality rule to a specific period of time during ’s proceedings. Our conclusion is that all the ways of delimiting confidentiality regulation that we have considered have distinct disadvantages. All forms of confidentiality rule restrict public access to information about the recruitment procedure, and it is doubtful how far regulating confidentiality could help to boost numbers of appli- cants for all types of permanent judges’ appointments. In the relevant part of the questionnaire survey we carried out, only 8 per- cent of the lawyers who had not applied for a permanent judges’ appointments replied that the public nature of the process was the reason they had not applied. Only 15 percent answered that they would be more inclined to apply for employment as judges if confi- dentiality were introduced. In our opinion, however, the disad- vantages of confidentiality regulation outweigh the advantages. Our conclusion is that, if confidentiality is deemed necessary to enable the most skilled and suitable lawyers to be recruited as per- manent judges, a new rule should be introduced. Under this rule, confidentiality in cases of permanent judges’ appointments should apply to ’s proceedings during the application period and the week after it ends. Applicants wishing to withdraw their applications after receiving information about who else has applied for the position could do so, and the information about them would then be protected by continued confidentiality. Information about those who choose to remain as applicants, on the other hand, would be public. In our view, this rule could boost the number of applicants to permanent judges’ positions. At the same time, the general public would gain access to information about all the applicants who are actually appraised by the Board. Thus, this kind of confidentiality regulation does not restrict public access to information about applicants who may be included in the Board’s proposals to the Government. We propose that the confidentiality rule should specify that information among eligible applicants themselves is not subject to confidentiality. The parties involved should thus have a statutory entitlement to access information about one another. Furthermore, in light of the interest in the recruitment procedure being trans- parent, our assessment is that the main rule on ‘freedom to sound the alarm’ (whistleblowing) should be valid in application of the new confidentiality regulation. Accordingly, we do not propose making it punishable to disclose information protected by the confidentiality rule. Long-term, stable of recruiting permanent judges Recruitment of permanent judges requires long-termism and stability. Various measures are needed to boost the number of applicants for permanent judges’ positions, and the work must be implemented with a multiannual approach. Steps to boost the number of qualified applicants could consist in offering qualified and experienced lawyers scope to qualify as judges; increasing the number of lawyers who undergo special judges’ training; or im- proving the scope for deputy judges to serve in lower courts. For the process whereby qualified, experienced lawyers equip themselves to be judges, the special judges’ training and deputy judges’ service in lower courts to function smoothly, it is important for the budget for these activities to be used effectively. The various forms of judges’ training can then be offered to enough lawyers to meet the courts’ needs, i.e. corresponding to the number of permanent judges required in the long term. Current funding of the special judges’ training is based on shared budget responsibility, which means that there are a certain number of openings for law clerks and that both the superior courts and the have budget resources for the training. We point out that it often means better resource utilisation if, first, the entire budget can be used without being confined to particular openings and, second, if the budget is delegated to the part(s) of the work where tasks are carried out. It is the that is responsible for allocating and delegating the budget to enable financial resources to be used efficiently. Our reasoning is based on the belief that it would be more efficient for the budget for the various forms of judges’ training to be delegated to the superior courts. Our assessment is that a regional budget for the co-opted, acting or temporary judges’ qualification process, and also the special judges’ training and the deputy judges’ service in lower courts would improve the conditions for efficient budget utilisation and afford coordination gains. The scope of requisite training and other measures needed to promote recruitment of permanent judges in order to boost the number of qualified applicants for permanent judges’ posts must be based on advanced analyses performed by the Courts Administra- tion and . Today, the Administration already performs analyses aimed at gauging future needs to recruit permanent judges. We consider it advisable to also benefit, when such analyses are made, from the stock of knowledge possessed by the Board and its offices regarding applicants for permanent judges’ appointments. has ample scope for analysing trends regarding the supply of qualified, suitable applicants in relation to the numbers of permanent judges’ appointments needed. We therefore propose that the Board should conduct an annual analysis of future of recruiting permanent judges. This analysis should focus on the supply of qualified applicants, and supplement the information submitted by the to the Government. The Government would thus receive, from both the and , comprehensive documentation for assessing which measures are needed to ensure that there enough qualified applicants for permanent judges’ posts. lag om ändring i (1942:740) Härigenom föreskrivs att 1 kap. 2 §, 2 kap. 3 § och 4 kap. 2 § (1942:740) ska ha följande lydelse. Nuvarande lydelse Föreslagen lydelse I en tingsrätt ska det finnas en I en tingsrätt ska det finnas en och en eller flera rådmän. I en tingsrätt får det också finnas en eller flera chefsrådmän. Om regeringen inte bestämmer I en tingsrätt får det finnas något annat ska det i en tingsrätt domare för vikariats- eller förstärk- även finnas en eller flera rådmän. ningsändamål och domare under I de tingsrätter som regeringen be- stämmer ska det också finnas en eller flera chefsrådmän. Lagmän, chefsrådmän och råd- Domare som anges i första och män ska vara lagfarna. andra styckena ska vara lagfarna. En tingsrätt får vara indelad i avdelningar. Chef för en avdelning är lagmannen eller en chefsrådman. Vid en tingsrätt ska det finnas ett kansli, som hålls öppet för allmänheten på bestämda tider. 1 Senaste lydelse 2013:81. Vid varje hovrätt ska det finnas ett kansli som hålls öppet för allmänheten på bestämda tider. I varje hovrätt skall det finnas I varje hovrätt ska det finnas en hovrättspresident, en eller flera hovrättslagmän samt hov- flera hovrättslagmän och hov- rättsråd av vilka en eller flera rättsråd, av vilka en eller flera ska skall vara vice ordförande. vara vice ordförande. skall vara lagfarna. I en hovrätt får det finnas domare för vikariats- eller för- Domare som anges i första och andra styckena ska vara lagfarna. En hovrätt får vara indelad i avdelningar. Chef för en avdelning är presidenten eller en . Vid varje hovrätt skall det finnas ett kansli som hålls öppet för allmänheten på bestämda tider. I lagen (2010:1390) om ut- I lagen (2010:1390) om ut- nämning av ordinarie domare nämning av ordinarie domare finns bestämmelser om utnäm- finns bestämmelser om utnäm- ning av sådana domare som avses ning av sådana domare som avses i 1 kap. 2 §, 2 kap. 3 § och 3 kap. i 1 kap. 2 § första stycket, 2 kap. 3 § första stycket och 3 kap. 4 §. Denna lag träder i kraft . 2Senaste lydelse 1998:1800. 3Senaste lydelse 2010:1391. I en förvaltningsrätt får det också finnas en eller flera chefsrådmän.I en förvaltningsrätt får det finnas domare för vikariats- eller förstärkningsändamål och domare under utbildning.45I varje kammarrätt ska det finnas en kammarrättspresident, en eller flera kammarrättslagmän och kammarrättsråd, av vilka en eller flera ska vara vice ord- förande.I en kammarrätt får det finnas domare för vikariats- eller för- stärkningsändamål och domare under utbildning.Domare som anges i första och andra styckena ska vara lagfarna. lag om ändring i lagen (1971:289) om allmänna förvaltningsdomstolar Härigenom föreskrivs att 10, 15 och 28 a §§ lagen (1971:289) om allmänna förvaltningsdomstolar ska ha följande lydelse. I varje kammarrätt ska det finnas en kammarrättspresident, en eller flera kammarrättslagmän samt kammarrättsråd av vilka en eller flera ska vara vice ord- förande. De ska vara lagfarna. I en förvaltningsrätt ska det finnas en . Om regeringen inte bestämmer något annat ska det i en förvalt- ningsrätt även finnas en eller flera rådmän. I de förvaltningsrätter som regeringen bestämmer ska det också finnas en eller flera chefsrådmän. 4Senaste lydelse 2010:1398. 5Senaste lydelse 2013:85. Lagmän, chefsrådmän och råd- Domare som anges i första och män ska vara lagfarna. andra styckena ska vara lagfarna. I lagen (2010:1390) om ut- nämning av ordinarie domare finns bestämmelser om utnäm- ning av sådana domare som avses i 3, 4, 10 och 15 §§. Denna lag träder i kraft . 6 Senaste lydelse 2010:1398. lag om ändring i lagen (2010:1390) om utnämning av ordinarie domare Härigenom föreskrivs i fråga om lagen (2010:1390) om utnämning av ordinarie domare dels att 1, 3, 6 och 8 §§ ska ha följande lydelse, dels att det ska införas en ny paragraf, 6 a §, med följande lydelse. Denna lag avser utnämning av ordinarie domare. 1.justitieråd tillika ordförande, justitieråd tillika avdelnings- ordförande och övriga justitieråd i och , 2.president, samt råd tillika vice ordförande på avdelning och övriga råd i hovrätt och kammarrätt, 3.lagman, chefsrådman och rådman i tingsrätt och förvaltningsrätt, 6.ordförande tillika chef och övriga ordförande i , I lagen finns det också bestäm- melser om rekrytering av adjunge- Nämnden ska lämna förslag till Nämnden ska lämna förslag till regeringen i ärenden om utnäm- regeringen i ärenden om utnäm- ning av ordinarie domare. ning av ordinarie domare. den ska även bedriva ett aktivt och den ska även bedriva ett aktivt och långsiktigt arbete för att tillgodose långsiktigt arbete för att främja rekryteringen av ordinarie domare. 7 Senaste lydelse 2016:227. Regeringen kan med stöd av skrifter om andra uppgifter för 8 kap. 7 § regeringsformen meddela föreskrifter om andra uppgifter Nämnden ska på lämpligt sätt Nämnden ska på lämpligt sätt informera om en ledig anställning informera om en ledig anställning som ordinarie domare. som ordinarie domare. ska också informera om en ledig anställning som adjungerat råd. I ett ärende som gäller en annan anställning än chef för en domstol ska nämnden inhämta ett yttrande från chefen för den domstol som ärendet gäller. En företrädare för Domstols- En företrädare för Domstols- verket får närvara och yttra sig vid verket får i ärenden som gäller tillsättning av en chef för en domstol närvara och yttra sig vid För att värdera en sökandes skicklighet, får nämnden låta en sakkunnig närvara och yttra sig vid Denna lag träder i kraft . lag om ändring i offentlighets- och sekretesslagen (2009:400) Härigenom föreskrivs att det i offentlighets- och sekretesslagen (2009:400) ska införas en ny paragraf, 39 kap. 5 d §, av följande lydelse. Sekretess gäller hos i ett ärende om utnäm- ning av ordinarie domare eller hyresråd för uppgift som lämnar eller kan bidra till upplysning om en enskild kandidats identitet, om det inte står klart att uppgiften kan röjas utan att den enskilde lider men. Sekretessen gäller inte mellan behöriga sökande i ett ärende. Sekretessen upphör att gälla för uppgifter om den som kvarstår som sökande efter ansöknings- tidens utgång. För uppgift i en allmän hand- ling gäller sekretessen i högst . 1.Denna lag träder i kraft . 2.Ärenden som har inletts hos före ikraft- trädandet men ännu inte har avgjorts handläggs enligt äldre före- skrifter. 2 Utredningens uppdrag och arbete Direktiven för vårt uppdrag beslutades vid regeringssammanträdet (dir. 2016:89). Av direktiven framgår att ut- redningens övergripande uppdrag har varit att se över rekryteringen av ordinarie domare i syfte att säkerställa att alla domstolar i hela landet även kan rekrytera domare som tillhör de allra skickligaste och för yrket mest lämpade juristerna. I uppdraget har ingått att kartlägga rekryteringsläget för anställningar som ordinarie domare, utifrån kartläggningen överväga om, och i så fall hur, den särskilda domarutbildningen behöver förändras, t.ex. i syfte att i större ut- sträckning tillgodose behovet av ordinarie domare vid domstolar utanför storstadsområdena, utvärdera det befintliga systemet med extern adjunktion i hov- rätt och kammarrätt, analysera om det i ljuset av praxis om jäv behöver förändras och bedöma om det kan vidareutvecklas, t.ex. genom att tillämpas även i tingsrätt och förvaltningsrätt, kartlägga och analysera om benägenheten att söka domaranställ- ningar påverkas av öppenheten i ansökningsförfarandet och, om så bedöms vara fallet, efter en noggrann avvägning mellan intres- set av öppenhet och insyn å ena sidan och sekretessintresset å den andra ta ställning till om påverkan är av sådan art och omfattning att den bör leda till att sekretess införs, bedöma om den introduktion och utbildning som erbjuds ny- utnämnda domare behöver anpassas ytterligare till en breddad re- krytering, Utredningens uppdrag och arbete ta ställning till vilka åtgärder i övrigt som bör vidtas för att främja rekryteringen av domare till alla domstolar i hela landet, ta ställning till hur rekryteringsförfarandet och dess olika verktyg för bedömning av de sökande kan utvecklas och förbättras, och överväga hur de enskilda domstolarnas, och roller och funktioner i rekryteringsarbetet kan tydliggöras och utvecklas.1 Arbetet har bedrivits på sedvanligt sätt. Vi har haft åtta sammanträden med experterna, varav ett två- dagarssammanträde i internatform. Vi har haft underhandskontakter med experterna i olika frågor. Genom experterna har vi löpande utbytt information med , , Dom- stolsverket, , , och .