COURTS ACT, 25.8.2016/673  
 
PART I. GENERAL PROVISIONS  
 
Chapter 1 – General provisions on courts and judges  
Section 1 – Scope of application of the Act  
(1) This Act contains provisions on courts and on judges, other members of a court  
and other personnel. This Act also contains provisions on the Judicial Appointments  
Board, on the Judicial Training Board and on their duties and personnel.  
(2) This Act applies to the Supreme Court and to the Supreme Administrative Court  
as well as to their justices, unless p rovided otherwise in the Supreme Court Act  
(665/2005) or in the Supreme Administrative Court Act (1265/2006).  
(1) Separate provisions apply to the High Court of Impeachment.  
(2)  
Section 2 - Courts  
(1) The general courts are the district courts, the courts of appe al and, as the  
highest judicial instance, the Supreme Court.  
(2) The general administrative courts are the administrative courts and, as the  
highest judicial instance, the Supreme Administrative Court.  
(3) The special courts are the Market Court, the Labour Court and the Insurance  
Court.  
Section 3 – Exercise of jurisdiction and independence of the courts 2 
(1) The courts exercise the jurisdiction accorded to them under the Constitution Act.  
(2) Courts are independent in their exercise of jurisdiction.  
Section 4 – Organisation of the work of the courts  
(1) The courts are responsible for the organization of their work, taking into  
consideration what is provided in this Act and elsewhere in law.  
(2) More detailed provisions on the work of the courts, on consideration of matters  
related to the administration of law and to administrative matters, and on other  
organization of work are provided in the standing orders approved by the court.  
Section 5 - Judges  
(1) Judges are:  
(1) in the Supreme Court, the Presi dent, and justices 1 as the other judges;  
(2) in the Supreme Administrative Court, the President, and justices 2 as the  
other judges;  
(3) in a court of appeal, the president as the chief judge, and court of appeal  
justices 3 as the other judges;  
(4) in a dist rict court, the senior judge as the chief judge, and district court  
judges as the other judges, and in district courts serving as land courts, also  
land court engineers;  
(5) in an administrative court, the senior judge as the chief judge, and  
administrativ e court judges as the other judges, and in the Åland  
administrative court, the administrative court judge;  
1 Before the Act entered into force, a simple distinction existed in Finnish between the titles of  
“justice of the Supreme Court” (“oikeusneuvos”) and “justice of the Supreme Administrative Court”  
(“hallintoneuvos”). With the entry of this Act into force, the first term was extended to refer also to  
justices of the Supreme Administrative Court. In English, this linguistic nuance could be indicated  
by the use of the title “high court justice”, which would distinguish the term from the title of “court  
of appeal justice”. However, in the present translation justices of the Supreme Court and the  
Supreme Administrative Court are collectively referred to as  “justices”, and those serving in courts  
of appeal are referred to with the longer title “court of appeal justices”.  
2 See the footnote immediately above.  3 See the footnote immediately above.  
 (6) in the Market Court, the senior judge as the chief judge, and Market Court  
judges and Market Court engineers as the other judges;  
(7) in the Labour Court, the president as the chief judge, and a Labour Court  
judge as the other judge;  
(8) in the Insurance Court, the senior judge as the chief judge, and Insurance  
Court judges as the other judges;  
(9) in courts of appeal, administrative courts, the Market Court, the Labour  
Court and the Insurance Court, the assessors referred to in Chapter 18.  
(2) A court may also have other members as provided in this Act or elsewh ere in law.  
Section 6 – Position and independence of a judge  
(1) A judge is independent in the administration of justice.  
(2) Provisions on the right of a judge to remain in office as a guarantee of  
independence are provided in section 103 of the Constitut ion Act and, in more  
detail, in Chapter 16 of the present Act.  
Section 7 – The judge’s solemn affirmation of office  
(1) Before undertaking their duties, judges and other members of a court shall give  
the following judge’s solemn affirmation: “I [insert name] do promise and affirm on  
my honour and my conscience that I shall act in my office in accordance with the  
Constitution and the law, I shall administer justice in a lawful and impartial manner  
to the best of my understanding, and I shall respect the e quality of all persons  
before the law.”  
(2) The solemn affirmation is given in the respective court. It may also be given in a  
district court.  
(3) More detailed provisions on the judge’s solemn affirmation of office shall be  
issued by a government decree.  
 
PART II. THE COURTS  
Chapter 2 – District courts  
 
Section 1 – Duties of the district court  
 (1) District courts administer justice in civil, criminal and non -contentious civil  
cases as the first instance, unless provided otherwise in law.  
(2) District courts consider also other matters assigned to it by law.  
Section 2 – Deciding a case  
(1) District courts consider and decide cases in court sessions and in chambers.  
(2) The senior judge, a district court judge or a court notary serves as the  
chairperson of a district court.  
Section 3 – The district courts  
(1) The district courts are the district courts of Ahvenanmaa, Espoo, Etelä -Karjala,  
Etelä -Pohjanmaa, Etelä -Savo, Helsinki, Hyvinkää, Itä -Uusimaa, Kainuu, Kanta - 
Häme, Kemi -Tornio, Keski -Pohjanmaa, Keski -Suomi, Kymenlaakso, Lappi, Länsi - 
Uusimaa, Oulu, Pirkanmaa, Pohjanmaa, Pohjois -Karjala, Pohjois -Savo, Päijät -Häme,  
Satakunta, Tuusula, Vantaa, Varsinais -Suomi and Ylivieska -Raahe.  
(2) Separate provisions apply to district courts as land courts, as maritime courts  
and as courts martial.  
Section 4 – District court locations  
(1) District courts have a registry. A district court may have, as necessary, several  
registries and places where sessions are held.  
(2) For special reasons, a session may be held in at a location in the jurisdiction of  
the district court other than the place for sessions referred to subsection 1, or in a  location outside of the jurisdiction of the district court.  
(3) The location of the district court registries and of where distri ct court sessions  
are held shall be provided by a decree of the Ministry of Justice.  
Section 5 – The jurisdiction of district courts  
(1) The jurisdiction of a district court consists of one or more municipalities, unless  
provided otherwise elsewhere in law  on the competence of district courts.  
(2) Provisions on the jurisdiction of district courts shall be issued by a government  
decree.  
 
Section 6 - District court members  
(1) The members of a district court are the senior district court judge and the district  
court judges. A district court has in addition as other members lay judges who  
participate in the consideration of and decision on cases as provided in the Code of  
Judicial Procedure or elsewhere in law. Provisions on lay judges are contained in t he 
Act on District Court Lay Judges (675/2016).  
(2) A district court may also have military members who participate in the  
consideration of and decision on courts martial. The Court Martial Act (326/1983)  
contains provisions on courts martial.  
(3) When req uired by the consolidation of the jurisdiction of district courts, a district  
court that has been established through such consolidation may temporarily have  
more than one position as senior judge. One chief judge shall be appointed from  
among the chief ju dges, through the application of Chapter 11, section 2, subsection  
1. What is provided regarding a senior judge applies to a senior judge serving as the  
chief judge.  
(4) The administrative court judge of the Åland administrative court also serves as  
the district court judge of the Åland district court.  
Section 7 – Members of the land court  
(1) The members of a district court that serves as a land court are the district court  
judge who considers land right cases ( designated land rights cases judge ) and a l and 
court engineer. The designated land rights cases judge participates also in the  
consideration of other cases before the district court.  
(2) The senior judge of a district court shall in addition appoint at least one district  
court judge to consider lan d rights cases for a term of at most five years at a time.  
 
Chapter 3 – Courts of appeal  
 
Section 1 – Duties of courts of appeal in the administration of justice  
 (1) A court of appeal considers appeals and complaints against decisions of a district  
court as well as extraordinary appeals which by law the court of appeal shall decide,  
and other administration of justice cases which by law it shall decide.  
(2) A court of appeal considers as the first instance cases concerning an offence in  
office involving ju dges, other court personnel and prosecutors, which by law are  
incumbent on it.  
Section 2 – Supervisory duties of courts of appeal  
(1) A court of appeal supervises the operation of the district courts in its jurisdiction  
and shall undertake as necessary mea sures to rectify any defects that it detects. To  
perform this duty, the court of appeal has the right to receive the information that it  
requires from the appropriate authorities.  
(2) A court of appeal shall prepare a report on the matters it has observed in the  
supervision of district courts, which shall be submitted to the Chancellor of Justice  
of the Government and to the Ombudsman of Parliament for their information. In  addition, the court of appeal shall inform the Chancellor of Justice of the  
Government of matters that have come to its attention that may lead to the bringing  
of charges in a court of appeal for an offence in office.  
(3) The standing orders shall provide how the supervision shall be conducted.  
Section 3 – Other functions of court s of appeal  
The court of appeal considers judicial administration cases and other matters  
assigned to it by law for decision.  
Section 4 – Decision on a case  
(1) A court of appeal considers and decides administration of justice cases in a  
session on the sub mission of a referendary or in a main hearing.  
(2) The president or a court of appeal justice serves as the chairperson of the court  
of appeal.  
 
Section 5 – The courts of appeal  
The courts of appeal are the Helsinki, Eastern Finland, Rovaniemi, Turku and Vaasa  
courts of appeal.  
Section 6 – Place of sessions of courts of appeal  
(1) Provisions on the place of sessions of courts of appeal shall be provided by a  
government decree. A court of appeal may also have a permanent place for sessions,  
the location of which is provided by a decree of the Ministry of Justice.  
(2) Sessions of a court of appeal are held in the place where it is located. A main  
hearing may nonetheless be held as necessary in a place within the jurisdiction of  
the court of appeal other than where it is located. For special reasons, a main  
hearing may be held also in a place outside of the jurisdiction of the court of appeal.  
Section 7 – The jurisdiction of courts of appeal  
(1) The jurisdiction of a court of appeal consists of one or more dist rict court  
jurisdiction, unless provided otherwise elsewhere in law on the competence of courts  
of appeal.  
(2) Provisions on the jurisdictions of courts of appeal shall be provided by a  
government decree.  
Section 8 – Members of courts of appeal  
(1) The mem bers of a court of appeal are the president and the court of appeal  
justices. A court of appeal may also have assessors.  
(2) The Helsinki court of appeal has in addition military members who participate in  
the consideration of and decision on courts martial, as provided in the Court  
Martials Act.  
 
Chapter 4 – Administrative courts  
 
Section 1 – Duties of administrative courts in the administration of justice  
An administrative court considers and decides the administrative law appeals,  
administrative litigation and other cases assigned to its jurisdiction by the  
Administrative Judicial Procedure Act (586/1996) or elsewhere in law.  
Section 2 – Decision on a case  
(1) An administrative court considers and decides cases in a session on the  
submission of a referendary.  
(2) The senior judge of an administrative court or a legally trained administrative  
court judge serves as the chairperson of the administrative court.  
Section 3 – The administrative courts  
(1) The administrative courts are the Helsinki, Hämeen linna, Eastern Finland,  
Northern Finland, Turku and Vaasa administrative courts.  (2) Provisions on the Åland administrative court are contained in a separate Act.  
Section 4 – The jurisdiction of administrative courts  
(1) The jurisdiction of an administrati ve court consists of one or more province,  
unless provided otherwise elsewhere in law on the competence of administrative  
courts.  
(2) Provisions on the jurisdiction and the locations of administrative courts shall be  
provided by a government decree.  
Section 5 – Members of administrative courts  
(1) The members of an administrative court are the chief judge and the  
administrative court judges. An administrative court may also have assessors.  
(2) An administrative court has expert members knowledgeable i n child welfare,  
adoption, mental health cases, welfare for abusers of intoxicants, infectious  
diseases, and special care for the mentally disabled, who participate in the  
consideration of and decision on cases in accordance with what is provided in the  
Administrative Court Act (430/1999) or elsewhere in law.  
 
Chapter 5 – The Market Court  
 
Section 1 – Duties of the Market Court  
 (1) The Market Court is the special court for competition and oversight cases,  
procurement cases, industrial property rights cases  and copyright cases, and  
market law cases.  
(2) The Market Court Proceedings Act (100/2013) contains provisions on the  
presence of a quorum in the Market Court, on the consideration of cases in the  
Market Court which by law belong to its jurisdiction, and on appeal of a decision of  
the Market Court.  
Section 2 – Members of the Market Court  
(1) The members of the Market Court are the chief Market Court judge, Market  
Court judges and Market Court engineers. The Market Court may also have  
assessors.  
(2) The Market Court has expert members knowledgeable in competition and  
oversight matters, procurement matters, industrial property and copyright matters  
and market law matters, who participate in the consideration of and decision on  
cases in accordance with what  is provided on the Act on Proceedings in the Market  
Court.  
 
Chapter 6 – The Labour Court  
 
Section 1 – Duties of the Labour Court  
(1) The Labour Court serves as the special court for civil cases concerning collective  
bargains in the private sector and in t he public sector, and considers the appeals in  
which under law it is competent.  
(2) The Act on Proceedings in the Labour Court (646/1976) contains provisions on  
cases in the competence of the Labour Court, on the presence of a quorum in the  
Labour Court in  such cases and on their consideration in the Labour Court.  
Section 2 – Members of the Labour Court  
(1) The members of the Labour Court are the president and the Labour Court judge.  
The Labour Court may also have assessors.  
(2) The Labour Court has fourteen expert members who participate in the  
consideration of and decision on cases in accordance with what is provided in the  
Act on Proceedings in the Labour Court. Two of the expert members shall have a  legal training and shall not represent the inter ests of employers or employees. Eight  
of the other expert members shall be knowledgeable in employment contracts in the  
private sector and four of the other expert members shall be knowledgeable in  
employment contracts in the public sector.  
Chapter 7 – The Insurance Court  
Section 1 – Duties of the Insurance Court  
(1) The Insurance Court serves as the special court for the subsistence security  
cases in which under law it is competent.  
(2) The Act on Proceedings in the Insurance Court (677/2016) contains prov isions  
on the presence of a quorum in the Insurance Court and on the consideration of  
cases in the Insurance Court.  
Section 2 – Members of the Insurance Court  
(1) The members of the Insurance Court are the senior judge and the Insurance  
Court judges. The I nsurance Court may also have assessors.  
(2) The Insurance Court has a chief physician who serves as the full -time medical  
member. In addition to serving as the medical member, the chief physician plans  
and develops the Insurance Court’s process for medical  assessment and attends to  
the general planning and organization of the work of the medical members as well as  
the effectiveness of the work. The chief physician shall also supervise the uniformity  
on the part of the medical members of the application of l egal principles and the  
interpretation of law.  
(3) The Insurance Court has in addition other medical members, expert members  
knowledgeable in labour conditions or the operation of businesses as well as expert  
members knowledgeable in military injury cases,  who participate in the  
consideration of and decision on cases in accordance with what is provided in the  
Act on Proceedings in the Insurance Court.  
 
Chapter 8 – Organization, management and administration of the work of a  
Court  
 
Section 1 - Management  
 (1) The chief judge manages the work of the court and is responsible for its  
productiveness.  
(2) A court may have a management board to support the chief judge in the  
management and development of the operation of the court. The management board  
consists of the chief judge as the chairperson, the department heads referred to in  
section 4, the chief secretary or administrative director referred to in Chapter 19,  
section 5 and as necessary other personnel.  
(3) The management board shall consider at least pro posals for the standing orders  
of the court, and also other significant matters that concern the management,  
administration, finances, operation and personnel of the court as well or the  
development of these matters.  
(4) The standing orders contain more de tailed provisions on the composition of the  
management board and the matters to be considered by the management board.  
Section 2 – Duties of the chief judge  
(1) The chief judge is responsible for the performance of the court and for its  
development. The ch ief judge establishes the performance goals for the court and is  
responsible for achieving them. The chief judge shall supervise the uniformity of the  
application of legal principles and the interpretation of law in the decisions of the  
court.  
(2) The chie f judge participates in the administration of justice to the extent allowed  by his or her other duties.  
Section 3 – Decision on administrative matters  
(1) The chief judge decides on administrative and financial matters that have not  
been assigned to other officials for decision.  
(2) The chief judge may order that a matter that pertains to the provision of an  
official opinion on a legislative matter or the submission of a legislative motion shall  
be considered and decided in plenary, and in a district court in another extended  
composition.  
(3) The standing orders contain provisions on the right of the chief judge to transfer  
a matter to another official for a decision. The chief judge may personally take  
responsibility for deciding a matter that he or she has  transferred or that otherwise  
is the responsibility of another official to decide.  
Section 4 - Departments  
(1) A court may divide itself into departments for its work. The standing orders  
contain provisions on the division into departments.  
(2) A department is headed by a legally trained judge whom the chief judge has  
appointed as department head ( department head ), unless the chief judge personally  
heads the department.  
Section 5 – Appointment of a department head  
(1) The chief judge may appoint a legally trained judge to serve as department head  
for a term of at most three years at a time. The vacancy of the position shall be  
announced for application by those permanent judges at the court who had been  
appointed to their position before the termina tion of the period of application. The  
person to be appointed to the position shall have the personal characteristics and  
leadership skills required by the position.  
(2) The appointment may be withdrawn for a weighty reason.  
Section 6 – Duties of the depar tment head  
The department head directs the work of the department. He or she is responsible in  
particular for the general planning and organization of work in the department and  
for the productiveness of the work. He or she shall supervise the uniformity of the  
application of legal principles and of the interpretation of law in the decisions of the  
department.  
Section 7 – Allocation of cases  
Cases shall be allocated for preparation and decision in accordance with the  
principles established in the standing orders. These principles shall be clear and  
they shall ensure the right of the parties to have their case decided independently,  
objectively and expeditiously.  
Section 8 – Reallocation of a case  
 (1) A case that has been allocated for the consideration of and a decision by a judge  
may be reallocated without his or her consent only if there is a weighty reason for  
this due to the illness of the judge, a delay in the case, the judge’s amount of work  
or another corresponding factor.  
(2) The chief judge decides  on the reallocation of a case in cases referred to in  
subsection 1. The President decides on reallocation in the Supreme Court and the  
Supreme Administrative Court. Reasons shall be given for the decision.  
Section 9 - Standing orders  
(1) The standing orders of a court are approved by the chief judge after having heard  
the management board or, if the court does not have a management board, after  
having heard the permanent judges.  
(2) The standing orders of a court are public and shall be made accessible  to all.  
Section 10 – Activities report  (1) Courts shall submit an annual report on their activities. Courts may also submit  
a joint activities report.  
(2) The activities report is public and shall be made accessible to all.  
PART III. JUDGES  
Chapter 9 – The judge in the administration of justice and as an official  
 
Section 1 – Duties of a judge  
(1) A judge is independent in the administration of justice and in this activity is  
subject only to the law.  
(2) A judge has the responsibility to decide a case that  has been allocated to him or  
her. In the exercise of his or her office, a judge shall be conscientious and careful.  
He or she shall consider and decide the case expeditiously.  
(3) Provisions on the general duties of officials which apply to a judge are co ntained  
also in Chapter 4 of the Public Officials Act (750/1994) and elsewhere in law.  
Section 2 – The responsibility of judges for their official acts  
Provisions on the responsibility of judges for their official acts are contained in  
section 118 of the C onstitution Act and elsewhere in law.  
Section 3 – A judge as referendary  
If a case is decided in court on the basis of the submission of a referendary, a judge  
may serve as the referendary.  
Section 4 - Training  
(1) Judges are responsible for maintaining and developing their knowledge of law,  
legal skills and professional ability.  
(2) Judges shall be offered sufficient training and they shall have the opportunity to  
participate in this.  
Section 5 – Outside work and outside work permission  
(1) Judges may no t accept or continue outside work as referred to in section 18,  
subsection 4 of the Public Officials Act unless the court, on application, grants  
permission to do so ( outside work permission ). Outside work permission may not be  
granted to serve as an arbit rator appointed by one party in a case before a court of  
arbitration.  
(2) In other respects, section 18 of the Public Officials Act contains provisions on  
outside work.  
(3) The Act on Private Interests and Outside Work of Judges (565/2015) contains  
provisions on the registration of information on outside work of judges.  
Section 6 – Application for outside work permission  
(1) Outside work permission is granted on application by the court at which the  
judge serves. Permission for the senior judge of th e district court, however, is  
granted by the court of appeal, permission for the president of a court of appeal and  
the Labour Court is granted by the Supreme Court, and permission for the senior  
judge of an administrative court, the Market Court and the I nsurance Court is  
granted by the Supreme Administrative Court.  
 (2) Notwithstanding what is provided in section 18, subsection 5 of the Public  
Officials Act, the applicant shall provide, in the application, information to the chief  
judge considering the ap plication on the parties in a case before a court of  
arbitration.  
Section 7 – Provision of information on income from outside work and on termination  
of outside work  
(1) A judge shall provide information annually to the court on what he or she has  
been pai d for outside work, if the total income from outside work exceeds 10 000  
euros. This information shall specify the outside work for which the income was  received. In addition, in respect of outside work other than work on arbitration, the  
information shall  specify from whom the income was received. Notwithstanding what  
is provided in section 24, subsection 1, paragraph 23 of the Act on the Openness of  
Government Activities (621/1999), information on income received by a judge from  
outside work is public. A judge shall also provide without delay information in the  
termination of outside work.  
(2) Notice regarding the payment of fees shall be provided at the latest by the end of  
May of the calendar year following the receipt of the income. The notice shall be  
provided to the court referred to in section 6, subsection 1.  
 
Chapter 10 – Qualifications for judicial positions  
 
Section 1 – General qualifications for judicial positions and grounds for appointment  
(1) To be appointed as a judge, the candidate must be a  Finnish citizen with integrity  
who has a Master’s degree in law other than a Master’s degree in international and  
comparative law, and who by his or her earlier service in court or in another position  
has demonstrated that he or she has the knowledge of t he field in question and the  
necessary personal characteristics required for successful performance of the duties  
of the position to be filled. Separate provisions may be issued on the qualifications  
required for judicial positions where expertise in a spe cial field is necessary.  
(2) Section 9 contains provisions on the proficiency in the Finnish and Swedish  
languages required of judges.  
Section 2 – Qualifications for judicial positions at the Supreme Court and the Supreme  
Administrative Court  
To be appoint ed as the President or justice of the Supreme Court or as the President  
or justice of the Supreme Administrative Court, the candidate must be an eminent  
legal expert and fulfil the qualifications provided in section 1. In addition, the  
Presidents of the Su preme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court shall have  
leadership skills.  
Section 3 – Qualifications for chief judges  
To be appointed as a chief judge, the candidate shall fulfil the qualifications  
provided in section 1 and have leadership skills.  
Section 4 – Qualifications for a designated land rights cases judge  
A designated land rights cases judge serving as in a district court that functions as a  
land court shall be knowledgeable in real estate legislation and the consideration of  
real estate ca ses. 
Section 5 – Qualifications for land court engineers  
A land court engineer serving in a district court that functions as a land court shall  
have a Master of Science (Technology) degree that is appropriate for the function and  
that is completed in the field of land surveying, good knowledge in land surveys and  
be well acquainted with the valuation of real estate.  
Section 6 – Qualifications for administrative court judges with responsibility for water  
and environmental protection cases  
A member of an adm inistrative court, other than a legally trained member, who  
participates in the consideration of cases on the basis of the Water Act (587/2011)  
and the Environmental Protection Act (527/2014), shall have an appropriate  
Master’s degree in technology or in t he natural sciences. In addition, he or she shall  
be familiar with the duties falling within the scope of the applicable legislation.  
Section 7 – Qualifications for the chief judge and for judges of the Market Court  
The chief judge of the Market Court and the Market Court judges shall in addition  
be familiar with competition or supervision, procurement, industrial property rights  matters or copyright matters, or market law matters.  
Section 8 – Qualifications for Market Court engineers  
A person who has an ap propriate Master’s degree in the field of technology, is a  
Finnish citizen with integrity, is familiar with patent matters and has the necessary  
personal characteristics may be appointed as a Market Court engineer.  
Section 9 – Required proficiency of judge s in the Finnish and Swedish languages  
(1) To be appointed as a judge, the candidate shall an excellent ability to speak and  
write in the language of the majority of the population in the judicial district in  
question and:  
(1) in a monolingual court, a sat isfactory ability to understand and speak the  
other language;  
(2) in a bilingual court, a satisfactory ability to speak and write in the other  
language.  
(2) Provisions on the language proficiency required of judges at the Åland district  
court and the Åland  administrative court shall be provided by a government decree  
issued on the basis of the Act on the Autonomy of Åland (1144/1991).  
Section 10 – Positions of district court judge requiring special language proficiency  
(1) To safeguard linguistic rights, bilingual district courts shall have a sufficient  
number of positions of district court judge requiring an excellent ability to speak  
and write in the language of the minority of the population in the district, and a  
satisfactory ability to speak and write  in the language of the majority. A bilingual  
court shall, however, have at least one such position.  
(2) Provisions on the number of positions referred to in subsection 1 in each  
bilingual district court shall be provided by a government decree.  
Section 11  – Other judicial positions requiring special language proficiency  
 (1) To safeguard linguistic rights, a bilingual court of appeal and administrative  
court, the Market Court and the Insurance Court may have a sufficient number of  
legally trained judges wh o have the language proficiency referred to in section 10,  
subsection 1.  
(2) Provisions on the number of positions referred to in subsection 1 in each  
bilingual court shall be provided by a government decree. Before submitting a  
proposal for such a degree to the Government, the Ministry of Justice shall request a  
statement from the appropriate supreme court instance on the need for the judicial  
positions referred to in subsection 1.  
Section 12 - Exemptions  
No exemptions may be granted from the qualification s for a judicial position.  
 
Chapter 11 – Appointment of a chief judge and a permanent judge  
 
Section 1 – Appointment and fixed -term appointment of a judge  
(1) Appointment of a judge to a judicial office is permanent unless, on the grounds  
laid down in chapter 12, section 1, he or she is appointed for a fixed term.  
(2) Assessors are appointed for a fixed term in accordance with Chapter 18, section  
1. 
(3) The chief judge of a court is appointed for a fixed term in accordance with the  
provisions of section  2. The President of the Supreme Court and the President of the  
Supreme Administrative Court is appointed to office on a permanent basis.  
Section 2 – Appointment of a chief judge for a fixed term  
(1) Chief judges are appointed for a fixed term of seven yea rs at a time. However, the  
term of a chief judge may not extend beyond the mandatory age of retirement for  
judges provided in law. The provisions on the appointment of permanent judges  apply to the appointment of a chief judge.  
(2) In cases referred to in Chapter 12, section 1, a chief judge may be appointed also  
for a term that is shorter than seven years.  
(3) If the person to be appointed as a chief judge holds a permanent position as a  
judge, he or she shall be granted leave of absence from this position  for the duration  
of his or her term as chief judge. Nonetheless, the provisions of Chapter 24 apply to  
an appointment as chief judge that has been made before the entry into force of this  
Act. 
(4) If a person holding the position of chief judge referred t o in this section has been  
appointed to another position as chief judge, he or she shall be deemed to have  
resigned from this former position as of the time that he or she has been appointed  
to said new position.  
Section 3 – Appointing authority  
In the cas es referred to in section 2, subsection 1, permanent judges and chief  
judges are appointed by the President of the Republic on the basis of a proposal by  
the Government.  
Section 4 – Announcement of a vacancy  
Before a permanent position as judge or as a fix ed-term position as chief judge is  
filled, an announcement shall be made that applications may be made to the court  
to fill the vacancy.  
Section 5 – Court announcing a judicial position as vacant  
(1) Announcement of the vacancy of the position of President  of the Supreme Court,  
president of a court of appeal and president of the Labour Court is made by the  
Supreme Court.  
(2) Announcement of the vacancy of the position of President of the Supreme  
Administrative Court and of senior judge of an administrative court, the Market  
Court and the Insurance Court is made by the Supreme Administrative Court.  
(3) Announcement of the vacancy of the position of senior judge at a district court is  
made by the court of appeal in question.  
(4) In respect of all positions as a judge other than those referred to in subsections  
1–3, the court in which the position is located announces the vacancy.  
Section 6 – Re-announcement of a vacancy, extension of an application period and  
cancellation of the announcement of a vacancy  
 (1) T he position of judge may, for justifiable reasons, be re -announced as vacant or  
the application period may be extended. In so doing, earlier applicants shall be  
taken into consideration without having to submit a new application. The  
announcement of the va cancy of a position may also, for a justifiable reason, be  
cancelled.  
(2) The decision to re -announce a position, extend the application period and cancel  
a vacancy is made by the court that announced the vacancy.  
Section 7 – Proposals for judicial appoint ments  
(1) The President of the Republic appoints the Presidents of the Supreme Court and  
the Supreme Administrative Court without the proposal referred to in subsection 3.  
(2) The Supreme Court prepares a reasoned proposal for appointment of a justice of  
the Supreme Court, which is submitted to the Government for presentation to the  
President of the Republic. The Supreme Administrative Court prepares, in a  
corresponding manner, a reasoned proposal for the appointment of a justice of the  
Supreme Administrati ve Court.  
(3) A reasoned proposal for all judicial appointments other than those referred to in  
subsections 1 and 2 is made by the Judicial Appointments Board referred to in  
Chapter 20.  Section 8 – Statement of the Judicial Appointments Board  
The Judicial Appointments Board may issue a statement regarding the appointment  
of a justice of the Supreme Court or the Supreme Administrative Court, on the  
request of the court in question. Section 9 applies to the issuing of such a  
statement.  
Section 9 – Considerati on of matters by the Judicial Appointments Board  
(1) Before submitting a proposal for an appointment, the Judicial Appointments  
Board shall request a statement on the applicants from the court that had  
announced the vacancy. However, a statement regarding the applicants for the  
position of district court judge shall be requested from the court of appeal in  
question and in addition from the district court where the position is vacant. In  
respect of applicants for the position of Land Court engineer, a statement shall be  
requested also from the National Land Survey. Before the appointment of the senior  
judge of the Åland district court, a statement shall correspondingly be obtained from  
the Government of Åland.  
(2) Before submitting a proposal on the app ointment of the President or a judge of  
the Labour Court, the Judicial Appointments Board may request statements on the  
applicants from the labour market confederations and labour market institutions  
referred to in Chapter 17, section 13 as well as from th e Ministry of Finance and the  
Bank of Finland. The Board may request also other statements and reports and hear  
applicants and experts.  
(3) Before a proposal for an appointment is made, the applicants for the position  
shall be reserved an opportunity to co mment on the statements and reports that  
have been obtained in the preparation of the appointment.  
Section 10 – Issuing of a statement by a court  
(1) The statement of a court in a matter concerning the appointment of a judge is  
issued:  
(1) in a court of appeal, an administrative court, the Market Court and the  
Insurance Court, in a composition consisting of the chief judge and the  
department heads or, if the court is not divided into departments, by the chief  
judge after having heard the permanent judges;  
(2) in a district court, by the senior judge after having heard the management  
board or, if there is no management board in the district court, after having  
heard the permanent district court judges;  
(3) in the Labour Court, by the president.  
(2) The comp osition referred to above in subsection 1, paragraph 1 has a quorum  
when the chief judge as chairperson and at least one half of the other members or  
their substitutes are present.  
Section 11 – Contents of a statement by a court  
(1) The statement issued by  a court shall contained a reasoned opinion on which of  
the applicants shall be appointed to the position.  
(2) The statement of the court shall indicate the reasoned opinion of the court on the  
merits and qualifications of the applicants and their order of  preference with regard  
to the position to be filled. The Judicial Appointments Board may as necessary issue  
more detailed instructions on the contents of the statement.  
(3) The statement of the court that had announced the vacant position of judge shall  
include a summary of the official merits and other merits to be taken into  
consideration, drawn up in accordance with the instructions of the Board. However,  
in respect of applicants for the position of district court judge, the summary is  
drawn up by the court of appeal.  
Section 12 – Declaration of private interests  (1) Before appointment of an applicant to a permanent position as judge, the  
applicant shall submit the declaration of his or her private interests referred to in  
section 8(a), subsection 1 of the Public Officials Act. The declaration shall be given to  
the appointing authority or, if the appointed authority is the President of the  
Republic, to the Ministry of Justice. A person appointed as judge shall, in addition,  
submit the declaration for the  information of the court to which he or she is  
appointed.  
(2) Throughout the duration of their appointment, judges shall report without delay  
any changes in their private interests. Such reports shall be given to the court where  
the judge is serving. Howe ver, a senior judge at a district court gives the report to  
the court of appeal, a president of a court of appeal and of the Labour Court to the  
Supreme Court, and a senior judge of an administrative court, the Market Court and  
the Insurance Court gives th e report to the Supreme Administrative Court. Also  
otherwise judges shall submit a corresponding declaration to the court or the  
Ministry of Justice on request.  
(3) Section 8(a) of the Public Officials Act contains further provisions on private  
interests. The Act on Private Interests and Outside Work of Judges contains  
provisions on the registration of information on private interests.  
Section 13 – Right of a chief judge to be appointed to a permanent judicial position  
(1) A chief judge who has not been app ointed to another permanent position as  
judge has the right, on the termination of the term referred to in section 2,  
subsection 1, to be appointed to a permanent position as a legally trained judge in  
the court where he or she has served as chief judge. I f necessary, he or she has the  
right to be appointed to the position of judge in another court for which he or she is  
qualified and which can be considered appropriate for him or her. The appointment  
shall be made in accordance with the procedure provided for appointment of a  
judge. However, the position shall not be announced as open for applications.  
(2) The seniority of a judge referred to above in subsection 1 is determined on the  
basis of the date on which he or she had been appointed as chief judge.  
Chapter 12 – Fixed -term judicial appointment  
Section 1 – Appointment of a judge to judicial office for a fixed term  
(1) If the permanent position of judge or a fixed -term position of chief judge is vacant  
or a judge is unable to attend to his or her duties  or is on annual holiday, a judge  
may be appointed to fill the position for a fixed term. A court may appoint a judge for  
a fixed term also if this is necessary due to the number or nature of the cases to be  
considered or if this is necessary for another s pecial reason.  
(2) A judge may not be appointed for a fixed term in order to consider an individual  
case unless there is a compelling need to do so in order to safeguard the trial.  
(3) What is provided in respect of the qualifications of corresponding perm anent  
judges, their right to remain in office, and their salary applies also to the  
qualifications of a judge appointed for a fixed term, his or her right to remain in  
office for the duration of the term and the grounds for his or her salary.  
Section 2 – Announcement of a fixed -term judicial position as vacant  
(1) An announcement of a vacant fixed -term position as judge shall be made if the  
appointment is to be made for at least six months.  
(2) An announcement of a vacant fixed -term position of justice of t he Supreme Court  
and of the Supreme Administrative Court shall be made regardless of the length of  
the appointment.  
Section 3 – Appointing certain senior judges for a fixed -term position  
(1) The President of the Republic appoints a justice of the Supreme C ourt for a fixed  
term on the proposal of the Supreme Court, and a justice of the Supreme  Administrative Court on the proposal of the Supreme Administrative Court.  
(2) In the case of the vacancy of the position as chief judge, the Supreme Court  
appoints the  president of a court of appeal and the president of the Labour Court as  
well as the chief judge of a district court for a fixed term. The chief judge of a district  
court is appointed on the proposal of the respective court of appeal.  
(3) In the case of a vacancy of a position as chief judge, the Supreme Administrative  
Court appoints the senior judge of an administrative court, the Market Court and  
the Insurance Court for a fixed term.  
Section 4 – Appointing other judges for a fixed -term position  
(1) Fixed -term appointments for more than one year of judges in a court of appeal,  
the Labour Court and a district court are made by the Supreme Court on the  
proposal of the chief judge of the respective court. Appointments in an  
administrative court, the Mark et Court and the Insurance Court are made in a  
corresponding manner by the Supreme Administrative Court.  
(2) Fixed -term appointments for at most one year are made by the chief judge of the  
respective court.  
(3) Before a judge is appointed in the cases refe rred to in subsection 2, the chief  
judge shall hear the management board or, if there is no management board, the  
permanent judges at the court, unless this is unnecessary due to the short term of  
the appointment or for another reason.  
Section 5 – Declarat ion of private interests of a judge appointed for a fixed term  
A judge appointed for a fixed term for more than one year shall, before the  
appointment and throughout the duration of the appointment, give the declaration  
of his or her private interests refe rred to in Chapter 11, section 12. The same applies  
to a justice appointed for a fixed term in the Supreme Court and the Supreme  
Administrative Court regardless of the duration of the appointment.  
 
Chapter 13 – Leave of absence and substitutes  
 
Section 1 – Leave of absence for a judge and performance of official duties  
The decision to grant a judge the leave of absence referred to in section 23 of the  
Public Officials Act is made by the respective court, unless provided otherwise in  
section 2 of this Chapte r. 
Section 2 – Leave of absence for a chief judge  
The chief judge of a court may take the leave of absence referred to in section 23 of  
the Public Officials Act for at most one month during a year. The Supreme Court  
shall decide on a longer leave of absence for the president of a court of appeal and of  
the Labour Court. The Supreme Administrative Court decides correspondingly on  
leave of absence longer than one month for the chief judge of an administrative  
court, the Market Court and the Insurance Co urt. The respective court of appeal  
decides on leave of absence longer than one month for the senior judge of a district  
court.  
Section 3 – Service as substitute for a chief judge  
When a chief judge is unable to attend to his or her duties, the department head or  
other legally trained judge designated in the standing orders shall serve as his or her  
substitute. If the standing orders do not contain such a provision, the department  
head who has served in office the longest or, if the court is not divided int o 
departments, the legally trained judge who has served in office the longest shall  
serve as the substitute for the chief judge.  
Section 4 – Service as substitute for a department head  
When a department head is unable to attend to his or her duties, the ju dge designated in the standing orders shall serve as his or her substitute. If the standing  
orders do not contain such a provision, the legally trained judge in the respective  
department who has served in office the longest shall serve as substitute for th e 
department head.  
 
Chapter 14 – Service in another court and transfers  
 
Section 1 – Appointment of an impartial judge  
(1) The Supreme Court may as necessary appoint in place of a disqualified judge in a  
court of appeal or the Labour Court another judge who fulfils the qualifications. The  
Supreme Administrative Court may make a corresponding appointment of a judge to  
an administrative court, the Market Court and the Insurance Court.  
(2) A court of appeal may as necessary appoint in place of a disqualified  judge in a  
district court a legally trained court from the court of appeal or from another district  
court in the jurisdiction of said court of appeal.  
Section 2 – Service of a judge in another court  
(1) A judge may be appointed with his or her consent to serve for at most one year at  
a time as a judge in a court other than the one to which he or she had been  
appointed, if this is justified due to the nature, extent or number of cases to be  
considered in the receiving court.  
(2) The court of appeal makes th e appointment referred to in subsection 1 to serve in  
a district court in its jurisdiction. The Supreme Court makes the appointment to  
serve in a court of appeal and in the Labour Court, and the Supreme Administrative  
Court makes the appointment to serve i n an administrative court, the Market Court  
and the Insurance Court.  
(3) Before the appointment is made, the consent of the court to which the judge is  
transferred shall be requested.  
Section 3 – Obligation of a land court engineer to serve in another land  court  
(1) A land court engineer may be appointed as necessary to consider land rights  
cases also in a district court considering land rights cases other than the one to  
which he or she has been appointed, and that is located in the same land court  
enginee r cooperation area.  
(2) The appointment referred to above in subsection 1 is made by the district court  
to which the land rights engineer has been appointed.  
(3) Provisions on land court engineer cooperation areas are issued by a decree of the  
Ministry of Justice.  
Section 4 – Transfer of a judge in connection with a reorganization of the court system  
(1) The provisions in section 5(a), section 5(b), subsection 2 and section 5(c),  
subsection 1 of the Public Officials Act, on reorganization of functions in st ate 
administration, apply to the transfer of judges in connection with a reorganization of  
the court system.  
(2) If the position that is to be transferred on the basis of subsection 1 would, after  
the reorganization, be located outside of the travel -to-work area of the judge, and the  
judge does not consent to the transfer, efforts shall be made to transfer the judge to  
another judicial position within his or her travel -to-work area. If there is no such  
position, the judge may with his or her co nsent be transferred to a judicial position  
or also to another position outside of his or her travel -to-work area. If in the  
reorganization a judicial position is replaced with a new and non -judicial position,  
the holder of the judicial position has the pr iority right to be appointed to a judicial  
position.  
(3) Judges may be transferred only to positions for which they are qualified and that  can be deemed suitable for them. The procedure provided for the appointment of a  
judge shall be followed in connectio n with the transfer of a judicial position.  
However, the position shall not be announced as open for applications. The court  
statement referred to in Chapter 11, section 10 on a judicial appointment shall be  
given by the Supreme Court or the Supreme Admini strative Court, depending on  
which court is affected by the reorganization.  
(4) If a judge, without justifiable reason, refuses to accept the position referred to in  
subsection 2, the judge may be relieved of his or her office. The matter is considered  
by the Supreme Administrative Court on the application of the Ministry of Justice.  
The matter shall be dealt with as an urgent matter of administration of justice.  
Chapter 15 – Written admonition and suspension from office  
Section 1 – Written admonition  
A wri tten admonition referred to in section 24 of the Public Officials Act may be  
given to a judge by the chief judge of the court in which the judge is serving.  
However, a written admonition to the senior judge of a district court is given by the  
president of the court of appeal, to the president of a court of appeal and to the  
president of the Labour Court by the President of the Supreme Court, and to the  
chief judge of an administrative court, the Market Court and the Insurance Court by  
the President of the Supreme Administrative Court.  
Section 2 – Suspension from office  
(1) A decision to suspend a judge from office on the grounds referred to in section  
40, subsection 2, paragraphs 1 -3 of the Public Officials Act is made by the court in  
which the judge is ser ving. However, the decision to suspend the senior judge of a  
district court from office is made by the court of appeal, the decision to suspend the  
president of a court of appeal or of the Labour Court is made by the Supreme Court,  
and the decision to susp end the chief judge of an administrative court, the Market  
Court or the Insurance Court is made by the Supreme Administrative Court.  
 (2) Further provisions on suspension from office are contained in the Public Officials  
Act. 
 
Chapter 16 – Termination of a  judicial appointment  
 
Section 1 – Age of retirement and relieving a judge of office  
(1) Section 35 of the Public Officials Act contains provisions applicable to judges, on  
the general age of retirement of public officials and on the termination of public  
service.  
(2) The resignation of a judge is accepted by the court in which the judge is serving.  
Section 2 – Relieving a judge of his or her office on the basis of work disability  
(1) Judges are required to resign from a judicial position if they have lost their ability  
to work due to illness, infirmity or injury.  
(2) If a judge who is no longer able to work does not himself or herself resign from  
office, the court decides on relieving him or her of his or her office. The matter shall  
be considered by the competent court as an urgent matter of administration of  
justice. The decision on removal from office is made by:  
(1) the court of appeal that is competent to deal with an offence in office, if the  
matter concerns a judge in a district court or the Labour Court;  
(2) the Supreme Administrative Court, if the matter concerns a justice in the  
Supreme Administrative Court, or a judge in an administrative court, the  
Market Court or the Insurance Court;  
(3) the Supreme Court, if the matter concerns a justice in th e Supreme Court or  
a court of appeal.  (3) The court that is competent to decide on relieving a judge of his or her office  
accepts the letter of resignation of a judge.  
Section 3 – Competence of judges after they are no longer in office  
(1) A judge continue s to be competent in a matter of administration of justice even  
after he or she is no longer in judicial office or serving as a fixed -term judge in the  
court in question, if he or she has decided the case or participated in deciding it as  
part of a panel o f judges while in office or if a proposal for a decision in the case had  
been made while he or she was in office.  
(2) What is provided in subsection 1 does not apply to a judge who has been relieved  
of his or her office on the basis of section 2.  
 
PART IV.  EXPERT MEMBERS AND OTHER PERSONNEL  
 
Chapter 17 – Position as an expert member  
 
Section 1 – Position as an expert member  
(1) In the exercise of judicial power, an expert member is independent in the same  
manner as a judge.  
(2) The provisions in Chapter 9, sections 1 and 2 on the obligations and  
responsibility of a judge apply also to an expert member.  
(3) The provisions in Chapter 16, section 3 on the competence of a judge apply also  
to an expert member after his or her term has ended.  
Section 2 – Right of expert members to retain their position  
The provisions on the right of the holder of a judicial office to remain in office  
applies, with the exceptions provided in sections 18 -21, to the right of an expert  
member to retain his or her position for the durat ion of the original appointment.  
Section 3 – Appointment of expert members  
The Government appoints the expert members to an administrative court, the  
Market Court and the Insurance Court. The President of the Republic appoints the  
expert members to the Sup reme Administrative Court and to the Labour Court.  
Section 4 – Number of expert members and their alternates  
(1) A sufficient number of expert members shall be appointed. Chapter 6, section 2  
contains provisions on the number of expert members in the Labou r Court.  
(2) A sufficient number of alternates may be appointed for expert members. The  
provisions on expert members apply also to their alternates.  
Section 5 – Terms for expert members  
(1) Expert members are appointed for a term of five years at a time. I f the position as  
expert member becomes vacant during the term, a new expert member may be  
appointed to fill the vacancy.  
(2) However, members may be appointed only up to the age of retirement provided  
for judges.  
Section 6 – Announcement of vacancies  
(1) The court in question announces that vacant positions as expert members are  
open for application.  
(2) What is provided in subsection 1 does not apply to the expert members in the  
Labour Court and the Insurance Court who are appointed on the basis of the  
proposals referred to in sections 13 and 15.  
(3) The court may request statements or other reports regarding the applicants.  
Section 7 – Proposal for appointment of an expert member  
(1) The courts shall submit to the Ministry of Justice, for presentation to the 
Government or the President of the Republic, a reasoned proposal regarding which  of the applicants shall be appointed to the positions.  
(2) A proposal on the appointment of members to the Labour Court who are  
knowledgeable in employment contracts in the private and the public sectors shall  
be made on the basis of the proposals referred to in section 13. A proposal on the  
appointment to the Insurance Court of members who are knowledgeable in labour  
conditions or the operation of businesses as well as m embers who are  
knowledgeable in military injury cases shall be made on the basis of the proposals  
referred to in section 15. In addition, the Insurance Court shall hear the Ministry of  
Social Welfare and Health before submitting a proposal to the Ministry of Justice on  
the appointment of medical members to the Insurance Court.  
Section 8 – Qualifications of expert members of administrative courts  
Expert members in administrative courts:  
 (1) in cases referred to in section 7, subsection 1, paragraphs 1 and 1 (a) of the  
Administrative Court Act, shall be persons who have a Master’s degree that is  
appropriate for the position and who are knowledgeable in child welfare;  
(2) in cases referred to in section 7, subsection 1, paragraph 2 of the  
Administrative Court A ct, shall be persons who have a Master’s degree that is  
appropriate for the position and are knowledgeable in special care for the  
mentally disabled;  
(3) in cases referred to in section 7, subsection 1, paragraph 3 of the  
Administrative Court Act, shall be  licenced physicians who are persons who  
knowledgeable in psychiatry;  
(4) in cases referred to in section 7, subsection 1, paragraph 4 of the  
Administrative Court Act, shall be persons who have a Master’s degree that is  
appropriate for the position and are  knowledgeable in welfare for abusers of  
intoxicants;  
(5) in cases referred to in section 7, subsection 1, paragraph 5 of the  
Administrative Court Act, shall be specialist physicians knowledgeable in  
infectious diseases.  
Section 9 – Qualifications of expert members of the Supreme Administrative Court  
(1) The qualification for the environmental expert justice at the Supreme  
Administrative Court is an appropriate Master’s degree in technology or in the  
natural sciences. In addition, he or she shall be fa miliar with the duties falling  
within the scope of the applicable legislation.  
(2) The qualification for a senior engineer justice is an appropriate Master’s degree in  
technology. In addition, he or she shall be knowledgeable in patent matters.  
Section 10 – Qualifications of expert members of the Market Court  
(1) The qualifications for an expert member at the Market Court who participates in  
the consideration of competition and oversight cases as well as procurement cases is  
an appropriate Master´s degree and that he or she is knowledgeable in competition  
law, procurement, energy markets, economics, marketing, the securities market,  
business life or economic questions.  
(2) The qualifications for an expert member at the Market Court who participates in  
indus trial and copyright law cases is an appropriate Master’s degree and that he or  
she is knowledgeable in issues connected with the area of technology in question or  
in patent questions or in marketing, economics, business life, economic questions or  
art. 
(3) The qualifications for an expert member at the Market Court who participates in  
the consideration of market law cases is an appropriate Master’s degree and that he  
or she is knowledgeable in consumer protection, marketing, business life or  
economic questi ons. Section 11 – Competence of expert members of the Market Court in matters being  
considered in the same proceedings  
When the Market Court is considering, in the same proceedings, matters falling into  
different groups, an expert member who is qualified t o participate in the  
consideration of a case involving one of the matters to be considered in said  
proceedings, is qualified to participate in the consideration also of the other matters  
to be considered in the same proceedings.  
Section 12 – Qualifications  in respect of the expert members of the Labour Court  
(1) The qualifications for an expert member of the Labour Court who does not  
represent the interests of either employers or employees are a Master’s degree in law  
other than a Master’s degree in interna tional and comparative law, and that he or  
she is knowledgeable in working conditions.  
(2) The other expert members of the Labour Court shall be knowledgeable in  
employment contracts in the private or the public sector.  
Section 13 - Proposal for the appoin tment on the Labour Court of expert members on  
employment contracts in the private and public sectors  
(1) The expert members of the Labour Court knowledgeable in employment contracts  
in the private and the public sector are appointed on the basis of propos als of  
entities representing the interests of employers and employees:  
(1) of the members knowledgeable in employment contracts in the private  
sector:  
(a) four on the proposal of the most representative central organizations of  
employers; and  
 (b) four on the proposal of the most representative central organizations of  
employees and functionaries; and  
(2) of the members knowledgeable in employment contracts in the public sector:  
(a) two on the proposal of the Ministry of Finance, the municipal labour  
market institution, the labour market institution of the Evangelical  
Lutheran Church, and the Bank of Finland; and  
(b) two on the proposal of the most representative central labour market  
organizations of State and Bank of Finland officials and muni cipal and  
ecclesiastic officials.  
(2) The proposed expert members shall include candidates who are knowledgeable in  
labour contracts in industry, agriculture and the services industry.  
(3) To be considered, the proposals of the entities referred to in subsection 1 shall  
contain at least twice the number of candidates as the number of members to be  
appointed. An account that the candidates have agreed to being appointed as expert  
members shall be attached to the proposals.  
(4) Before making its proposal,  the Labour Court shall request that the entities  
referred to in subsection 1 submit proposals for the appointment of expert members.  
The experts shall be appointed even if the proposal is not submitted within the  
period established by the Labour Court or the proposal has been submitted in an  
incomplete manner, if notwithstanding a request no proposal has been made or it  
has not been supplemented. The Labour Court may request a new proposal if the  
candidates do not fulfil the general qualifications for offi ce. 
(5) The provisions on criminal liability as a public official apply to persons in the  
service of the organizations referred to in subsection 1 who prepare the submission  
of candidates referred to in this section.  
Section 14 – Qualifications in respect of the expert members of the Insurance Court  
(1) The medical member of the Insurance Court shall be a licenced physician.  
(2) Other expert members of the Insurance Court shall include persons  knowledgeable in labour conditions or the operation of businesse s as well as  
persons knowledgeable in military injury cases.  
Section 15 – Proposal for the appointment on the Insurance Court of expert members  
in labour conditions or the operation of businesses and in military injury cases  
(1) The expert members of the I nsurance Court knowledgeable in labour conditions  
or in the operation of business as well as expert members knowledgeable in military  
injury cases are appointed as follows:  
(1) the members knowledgeable in working life, labour markets or the operation  
of businesses are appointed on the basis of proposals of:  
(a) representative central organizations of employers and employees;  
(b) the main collective bargaining organizations representing the municipal  
labour market and municipal functionaries and employees;  
(c) the State labour market institution and the most representative central  
labour market organizations of State officials and employees;  
(d) the most representative organizations of entrepreneurs;  
(e) the most representative organizations of agricultural entrepreneurs;  
and 
(f) the Ministry of Defence and the most representative labour market  
organizations; and  
(2) the members knowledgeable in military injury cases and in the  
circumstances of those receiving compensation are appointed on the proposal  
of the  most representative central organizations representing persons receiving  
compensation, and the military members are appointed on the proposal of the  
Ministry of Defence.  
(2) To be considered, the proposals of the entities referred to in subsection 1 shall  
contain at least twice the number of candidates as the number of members to be  
appointed. An account that the candidates have agreed to being appointed as expert  
members shall be attached to the proposals.  
(3) Before making its proposal, the Insurance Cou rt shall request that the entities  
referred to in subsection 1 submit proposals for the appointment of expert members.  
The experts shall be appointed even if the proposal is not submitted within the  
period established by the Insurance Court or the proposal  has been submitted in an  
incomplete manner, if notwithstanding a request no proposal has been made or it  
has not been supplemented. The Insurance Court may request a new proposal if the  
candidates do not fulfil the general qualifications for office.  
(4) T he provisions on criminal liability as a public official apply to persons in the  
service of the organizations referred to in subsection 1 above who prepares the  
submission of candidates referred to in this section.  
Section 16 – Qualifications in respect of  the linguistic abilities of expert members  
(1) To be appointed as an expert member of an administrative court, the candidate  
shall have a good ability to speak and write in the language of the majority of the  
population in the jurisdiction of the administrative court in question and:  
(1) in a monolingual administrative court, a satisfactory ability to understand  
and speak the other national language; or  
(2) in a bilingual administrative court, a satisfactory ability to speak and write  
in the other national language.  
(2) Provisions on the language proficiency required of expert members and deputy  
members at the Åland administrative court shall be provided by a government  
decree.  
(3) To be appointed as an expert member of the Supreme Administrative Co urt and  
of the Market Court, and as an expert member of the Labour Court who does not  represent the interests of either employers or employees, as well as the medical  
member of the Insurance Court, the candidate shall have a good ability to speak and  
write  in the Finnish language and a satisfactory ability to speak and write in the  
Swedish language.  
(4) The expert members knowledgeable in employment contracts in the private and  
the public sector, to be appointed to the Labour Court, and the expert members  
knowledgeable in labour conditions or the operation of businesses as well as in  
military injury cases, to be appointed to the Insurance Court, shall include a  
sufficient number of persons fluent in the Finnish and the Swedish languages.  
Section 17 – Reporti ng of private interests  
A candidate expert member shall, before the appointment and throughout the  
duration of the appointment, give to the court the declaration of his or her private  
interests referred to in Chapter 11, section 12.  
Section 18 – Position o f expert members in a reorganization of the court system  
If, in a reorganization of the court system, the duties of an expert member are  
transferred to another court, the expert member has the right to continue in his or  
her duties in said other court.  
Section 19 – Written admonition and suspension from office of expert members  
An expert member may be given a written admonition and may be suspended from  
his or her duties as an expert member through application as appropriate of what is  
provided in Chapte r 15 on written admonitions and suspension from office for a  
judge.  
Section 20 – Investigation of the state of health of expert members and relieving an  
expert member of office on the basis of work disability  
(1) The health of an expert member may be exami ned as necessary through  
application of what is provided in section 19 of the Public Officials Act.  
(2) What is provided in Chapter 16, section 2 of the present Act on relieving a judge  
of his or her office on the basis of work disability applies also to an expert member.  
Section 21 – Relieving expert members of their duties  
If a qualification for an expert member is that he or she is a licenced physician or a  
specialist physician, and on the basis of the Act on Health Care Professionals  
(559/1994) he or s he no longer has the right to act as such a licenced physician or  
said right has been restricted, the court in question shall relieve him or her of his or  
her duties or order that the expert may not attend to his or her duties for a specified  
period. The e xpert member shall be reserved an opportunity to be heard before being  
relieved of his or her duties.  
Section 22 – Fees for expert members  
A reasonable fee and compensation shall be paid to expert members from State  
funds. The grounds and amount of these f ees and this compensation shall be  
confirmed by the Ministry of Justice.  
 
Chapter 18 – Assessors  
 
Section 1 – Positions as assessor  
(1) A court of appeal, an administrative court, the Market Court, the Labour Court  
and the Insurance Court may, for training  purposes, have fixed -term positions of  
assessors who are appointed for three -year terms. The term may, special reasons, be  
extended by a maximum of two years.  
(2) A person who has held a position as assessor for two years may, for the  
remainder of his or her term, serve also in another position as a judge or as a  
referendary at the Supreme Court or the Supreme Administrative Court.  (3) The provisions of Chapter 12 on the appointment of a judge for a fixed term apply  
to the appointment of an assessor.  
Section 2 – Qualifications for assessors and grounds for appointment  
To be appointed as assessor, the person shall fulfil the qualifications provided in  
Chapter 10, section 1, and have at least three years’ experience in the duties of a  
judge, court refere ndary or draftsperson, prosecutor, advocate or legal counsel or in  
other corresponding legal duties that can be deemed to prepare the person for the  
duties of a judge. A further qualification is that the person has successfully passed  
an examination that d emonstrates knowledge of the key legislation and general  
principles concerning the duties of a judge. The provisions of Chapter 10, section 9  
apply to the proficiency of an assessor in the Finnish and Swedish languages.  
Section 3 – Competence of an assesso r 
(1) When deciding cases in court, a panel of judges may include only one assessor.  
(2) An assessor may not be on a panel of judges deciding a case that concerns an  
offence in office committed by a judge.  
(3) An assessor may serve as chairperson in court.  
Section 4 – Training programme for assessors  
(1) The purpose of training for assessors is to increase their legal knowledge and  
judicial competence, and to provide them with a good ability to make independent  
judicial decisions also in extensive and complicated cases.  
 (2) In the course of their term of office, assessors shall participate at their training  
site in the training programme developed by the Judicial Training Board in  
accordance with personal training plans prepared for them.  
Section 5 - Interruption  
The chief judge may, for a justified reason, allow an assessor to interrupt his or her  
training programme. The interrupted programme may be completed once the  
interruption has ended.  
Section 6 – End of a training programme  
(1) An assessor, havi ng served in his or her duties for the three -year minimum  
period referred to in section 1, subsection 1, shall submit a final paper or pass a  
final examination demonstrating the skills and knowledge required in judicial  
duties. The Judicial Training Board shall organize the examination.  
(2) An assessor who has successfully completed the training programme, and whose  
final paper has been accepted or who has passed the final examination, may be  
granted the right to use the title “judicially trained”. The righ t is granted by the  
Judicial Training Board on application.  
(3) Chapter 21 contains provisions on the Judicial Training Board.  
 
Chapter 19 – Other personnel  
 
Section 1 – Referendaries and draftpersons  
(1) Courts may have referendaries and draftpersons as follows:  
(1) courts of appeal may have court of appeal referendaries;  
(2) administrative courts may have administrative court referendaries;  
(3) the Market Court may have Market Court draftpersons;  
(4) the Labour Court may have Labour Court referendaries;  
(5) the Insurance Court may have Insurance Court referendaries.  
(2) Administrative courts may in addition have notaries as referendaries.  
 (3) The standing orders may provide that also an official other than one referred to in  
subsections 1 and 2 and who fulfils the qualifications may be appointed to serve as  
referendary.  (4) A referendary may serve as a draftsperson in a case where in accordance with  
Chapter 9, section 3 the judge serves as the referendary.  
Section 2 – Appointment of referendaries and dra ftpersons  
Referendaries and draftpersons are appointed by the respective court.  
Section 3 – Qualifications of referendaries and draftpersons  
(1) A qualification for the position referred to in section 1, subsection 1 is a Master’s  
degree in law other than a Master’s degree in international and comparative law. A  
court of appeal referendary shall in addition have experience in the duties of a judge.  
An Insurance Court referendary shall in addition be knowledgeable in matters  
related to employment contracts.  
(2) A qualification for the position of notary referred to in section 1, subsection 2 is  
an appropriate academic degree.  
(3) The provisions in Chapter 10, section 9 on the proficiency in languages of judges  
applies also to the linguistic qualifications of referendaries and draftspersons.  
Section 4 - Court notaries  
(1) District courts, courts of appeal and administrative courts have court notaries  
who are performing their judicial apprenticeship, and who participate in the  
consideration of and decisions in t he administration of justice, in accordance with  
the Judicial Apprenticeship Act (674/2016).  
(2) Section 3 of the Judicial Apprenticeship Act contains provisions on the  
qualifications for and appointment of court notaries.  
Section 5 – The chief secretary a nd other personnel  
(1) A court may have the position of chief secretary or administrative director or  
another corresponding position, the duties of which are the management of the  
administration of the court. A court may have also other personnel under a public or  
private law contract.  
(2) A qualification for the position of chief secretary is a suitable Master’s degree.  
The standing orders of a court may contain provisions on the qualifications for other  
positions, if this is justified in view of the perf ormance of the duties involved in said  
position.  
(3) The court in question appoints the chief director or administrative director as  
well as the other officials and hires personnel under a private law contract.  
Section 6 – Competence of office personnel  
(1) The senior judge of a district court may appoint in writing a member of the office  
personnel at the district court who has given an affirmation corresponding to the  
judge’s affirmation, who has received sufficient training and who has sufficient skills  
to attend to the duties:  
(1) in cases referred to in Chapter 5, section 3 of the Code of Judicial  
Procedure:  
(a) to give judgments by default;  
(b) to give, on the basis of Chapter 21, section 8(c) of the Code of Judicial  
Procedure, decisions and judgments on court costs, if the respondent has  
conceded the claim;  
(c) to decide on the staying of an action if the plaintiff has withdrawn the  
action and the respondent does not call for a decision in the case;  
(2) to decide on applications for divorce on the basi s of section 25, subsection 1  
of the Marriage Act (234/1929) if both spouses are domiciled in Finland.  
(2) If the case to be decided by office personnel, as referred to in subsection 1, proves  
to be extensive, subject to interpretation or otherwise difficu lt to decide, the case  
shall be transferred for a decision of a notary or a legally trained judge at the district  
court.  (3) The chief judge of a district court may appoint in writing a member of the office  
personnel at the district court who has sufficient skills, to issue summons and  
certificates, to effect service of documents and to attend to other duties connected to  
the preparation, consideration or enforcement of administration of justice matters.  
Section 7 – Leave of absence and performance  of official duties  
The respective court decides on leave of absence for the public officials referred to in  
the present Chapter.  
Section 8 – Outside work of referendaries and draftpersons  
What is provided in Chapter 9, sections 5 –7 on outside work for a j udge applies also  
to outside work by a court referendary and draftperson.  
Section 9 – Training of referendaries and draftpersons  
What is provided in Chapter 9, section 4 on the training of judges applies also to  
court referendaries and draftpersons.  
 
PART V. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS  
 
Chapter 20 – Judicial Appointments Board  
 
Section 1 – Duties, appointment and composition of the Judicial Appointments Board  
(1) The function of the Judicial Appointments Board is to prepare judicial  
appointments.  
(2) The Judicial Appointments Board is appointed by the Government for a term of  
five years at a time.  
(3) The chairperson of the Judicial Appointments Board is the member appointed by  
the Supreme Court and the vice chairperson is the member appointed by the  
Supre me Administrative Court. The other members are a president of a court of  
appeal, a senior judge of an administrative court, a senior judge of a district court,  
another permanent court of appeal justice, a district court judge, two administrative  
court judg es or one administrative court judge and one judge of a special court, one  
advocate, one prosecutor and one member representing legal research and  
education. Each member shall have a personal alternate.  
Section 2 – Nomination of the members of the Judicial  Appointments Board  
The Judicial Appointments Board is appointed after:  
 (1) the Supreme Court has nominated from among its justices one member and  
one alternate member;  
(2) the Supreme Administrative Court has nominated from among its justices  
one member and one alternate member;  
(3) the presidents of the courts of appeal have nominated from among  
themselves one member and one alternate member;  
(4) the senior judges of the administrative courts have nominated from among  
themselves one member and one alternate member;  
(5) the Supreme Court has nominated one member and one alternate member  
from among senior judges of district courts, one member and one alternate  
member from among other permanent court of appeal justices and one member  
and one alternate member from among district court judges on the basis of  
applications;  
(6) the Supreme Administrative Court has nominated the members and  
alternate members from among administrative court judges or special court  
judges on the basis of applications;  
(7) the Finnish Bar Association has nominated from among its members one  
member and one alternate member representing the body of advocates;  (8) the Prosecutor General has nominated one member and one alternate  
member representing prosecutors;  
(9) the Ministry of Justice has nominated one member and one alternate  
member representing legal research and education.  
Section 3 – Nomination procedure  
(1) In nominating the members and alternate members referred to in section 2,  
paragraphs 5 –9, twice as many candidates shall be nominated as there are positions  
available. Before nominating the person referred to in section 2, paragraph 9, the  
Ministry of Justice shall hear entities representing legal research and education.  
(2) The Supreme Court and the Supreme Administra tive Court shall announce the  
vacancy of the positions referred to in section 2, paragraphs 5 and 6, and shall  
inform the Ministry of Justice of the members and alternate members that they have  
nominated.  
 (3) The Ministry of Justice shall request that the  Finnish Bar Association and the  
Prosecutor General nominate the persons referred to in section 2, paragraphs 7 and  
8. 
Section 4 – Resignation of a Board member  
(1) The Government accepts the resignation of a member and alternate member of  
the Board.  
(2) When a member resigns, his or her replacement for the remainder of the term  
shall be nominated in accordance with the procedure provided above.  
Section 5 - Quorum  
The Judicial Appointments Board has a quorum when the chairperson or vice  
chairperson and at least eight other members or alternate members are present.  
Section 6 – Personnel of the Judicial Appointments Board  
(1) The Judicial Appointments Board has a secretary. The Board may also have parttime  
referendaries and other personnel. The duty of the se cretary and part -time 
referendaries is to prepare and present proposals for appointment and statements  
for the Board. In addition, the secretary attends to the organization of the other  
work of the Board.  
(2) The secretary and the part -time referendaries s hall have a Master’s degree in law  
other than a Master’s degree in international and comparative law and a good  
knowledge of the work of the courts.  
(3) The Judicial Appointments Board appoints the secretary and the part -time 
referendaries for a fixed period. The secretary hires other personnel.  
Section 7 – More detailed provisions  
More detailed provisions on the office and personnel of the Judicial Appointments  
Board, on the organization of work and on the consideration of matters at the Board  
may be p rovided in the standing orders approved by the Board.  
 
Chapter 21 – Judicial Training Board  
 
Section 1 – Function of the Judicial Training Board  
The function of the Judicial Training Board is to:  
(1) attend to the planning of the training to be arranged for court members,  
referendaries, draftpersons, court notaries and other personnel in cooperation  
with the Ministry of Justice and the courts;  
(2) attend to the planning and organization of the examinations and the final  
papers referred to in Chapter 18, s ection 2 and section 6, subsection 1;  
(3) attend to the organization of the application procedure for the position of  
assessor and for the preliminary selection of assessors;  (4) attend to the arrangement of a centralized application process for positions  
as judicial apprentice in accordance with the Judicial Apprenticeship Act and to  
the section and appointment of court notaries;  
(5) issue guidance to courts of appeal, administrative courts, the Market Court,  
the Labour Court and the Insurance Court on the  contents of the personal  
training plans for assessors referred to in Chapter 18, section 4, subsection 2;  
(6) issue guidance to district courts, courts of appeal and administrative courts  
on the contents of the apprenticeship plans referred to in section 12 of the  
Judicial Apprenticeship Act;  
(7) issue a statement on request to the Ministry of Justice on persons to be  
selected for management training or for other training in the court system;  
(8) grant the right referred to in Chapter 18, section 6, subsection 2 to use the  
title “judicially trained”;  
(9) grant the title of “Master of Laws (trained on the Bench)” referred to in  
section 18 of the Judicial Apprenticeship Act.  
Section 2 – Appointment and composition of the Judicial Training Board  
(1) The Judicial Training Board is appointed by the Government for a term of five  
years.  
(2) The Judicial Training Board has a chairperson, a vice chairperson and eight  
other members. The chairperson, the vice chairperson and four other members shall  
be permanent judges. The other members shall be a prosecutor, an advocate, a  
member representing legal research and education, and one member representing  
the Ministry of Justice. Each member has a personal alternate.  
(3) The judicial members of the Board shall represe nt different courts in an equitable  
manner, and at least one of the members shall be a chief judge.  
Section 3 – Appointment of the members of the Judicial Training Board  
(1) The Judicial Training Board is appointed after:  
(1) the Judicial Appointments Boar d has nominated the chairperson, the vice  
chairperson and the other judicial members as well as their alternates on the  
basis of applications;  
(2) the Prosecutor General has nominated the member representing prosecutors  
and his or her alternate;  
(3) the Fi nnish Bar Association has nominated from among its members the  
member representing the body of advocates and his or her alternate;  
(4) the Ministry of Justice has nominated the member representing legal  
research and education and his or her alternate;  
(5) the Ministry of Justice has nominated its own member and his or her  
alternate.  
(2) What is provided in Chapter 20, section 1, subsections 1 and 3 regarding the  
appointment of the members of the Judicial Appointments Board and their  
alternates applies also to the appointment of the Judicial Training Board.  
Section 4 – Resignation of a member of the Board  
(1) The Government accepts the resignation of a member and alternate member of  
the Board.  
(2) When a member resigns, his or her replacement for the remainde r of the term  
shall be nominated in accordance with the procedure provided above.  
Section 5 - Quorum  
 
The Judicial Training Board has a quorum when the chairperson or vice chairperson  
and at least five other members or deputies are present. In addition to the 
chairperson or vice chairperson, at least three other judges shall be present.  Section 6 – Personnel of the Judicial Training Board  
(1) The Judicial Training Board shall have a secretary who prepares and presents  
matters to be considered by the Board a nd attends to the organization of other  
activities of the Board. The secretary shall have an appropriate Master's degree and  
a good knowledge of the work of courts or of adult education.  
(2) The Judicial Training Board appoints its secretary.  
(3) The Board  may also have other personnel who are hired by the secretary.  
Section 7 – More detailed provisions  
The standing orders approved by the Judicial Training Board may contain more  
detailed provisions on the work and personnel of the Board, on the organization  of 
its work and on the consideration of matters by the Board.  
Chapter 22 – Cases involving offences in office  
 
Section 1 – Offences in office  
(1) Courts consider charges for offences in office brought against members of courts  
and officials at courts as follows:  
(1) the Supreme Court, if the case concerns a court of appeal justice;  
(2) a court of appeal, if the case concerns:  
(a) a member, notary, chief secretary or member of the office personnel of a  
district court belonging to its jurisdiction, if the case concerns an offence  
in office committed in a function referred to in Chapter 19, section 6,  
subsection 1;  
(b) a member, chief secretary, referendary, notary or court notary of an  
administrative court belonging to its jurisdiction;  
(3) the Helsinki cou rt of appeal, if the case concerns:  
(a) a member, the chief secretary or a draftsperson at the Market Court;  
 (b) a member, the chief secretary or a referendary at the Insurance Court;  
(c) a member, the chief secretary or a referendary at the Labour Court;  
(d) a chief secretary, a referendary or a court notary of a court of appeal  
other than the Helsinki court of appeal;  
(4) the Turku court of appeal, if the case concerns an official at the Helsinki  
court of appeal referred to in paragraph 3, subparagraph d . 
(2) What is provided in this section regarding a chief secretary shall apply also to an  
administrative director referred to in Chapter 19, section 5, subsection 1 and to a  
person appointed to a corresponding position.  
(3) What is provided in this section  regarding a person serving as a referendary in  
the same court applies also to a person serving as a referendary on the basis of  
Chapter 19, section 1, subsection 3.  
 
Chapter 23 – Appeal  
 
Section 1 – Appeal against a decision on outside work permission  
(1) A court decision on the outside work permission referred to above in Chapter 9,  
section 5 is subject to ordinary appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court.  
Nonetheless, a decision of the Supreme Court and of the Supreme Administrative  
Court is subject to  appeal back to the same court, where the case shall be  
considered in plenary.  
(2) The decision shall be valid notwithstanding an appeal, unless the appellate  
instance decides otherwise.  
Section 2 – Appeal against a decision on a written admonition  
(1) A d ecision to issue a written admonition referred to above in Chapter 15, section  1 is subject to ordinary appeal. The case shall be dealt with urgently at the appellate  
instance.  
(2) An appeal against a decision on a written admonition shall be submitted as  
follows:  
(1) a decision by a senior judge, to the court of appeal;  
(2) a decision by the president of a courts of appeal and of the Labour Court, to  
the Supreme Court;  
 (3) a decision by the senior judge of an administrative court, the Market Court  
and the  Insurance Court, to the Supreme Administrative Court;  
(4) a decision by the President of the Supreme Court and of the Supreme  
Administrative Court back to the same Court, where it shall be considered in  
plenary.  
(3) The appeal shall, within 30 days of ser vice of the decision, be submitted to the  
court at which the judge serves. The court shall submit without delay the letter of  
appeal with its annexes, a copy of the decision that is the subject of the appeal and  
a statement of the chief judge on the basis of the appeal.  
(4) The decision shall be followed notwithstanding an appeal, unless the appellate  
instance decides otherwise.  
Section 3 – Appeal against a decision on suspension from office  
(1) A decision on suspension from office referred to above in Chap ter 15, section 2 is  
subject to ordinary appeal. The matter shall be considered at the appellate court as  
an urgent matter of administration of justice.  
(2) Appeal is sought:  
(1) against a decision by a district court to the court of appeal;  
(2) against a decision by a court of appeal and the Labour Court to the Supreme  
Court;  
(3) against a decision by an administrative court, the Market Court and the  
Insurance Court to the Supreme Administrative Court;  
(4) against a decision by the Supreme Court and of the  Supreme Administrative  
Court back to the same court, where the case shall be considered in plenary.  
(3) An appeal shall be submitted within 30 days of service of the decision, to the  
court at which the judge serves. The court shall, without delay, submit to the  
appellate court the letter of appeal with its annexes, a copy of the decision that is  
under appeal, and its statement on the basis of the appeal.  
(4) The decision shall be followed notwithstanding an appeal, unless the appellate  
court decides otherw ise. 
Section 4 – Appeal against a decision on relieving of office on the basis of work  
disability  
(1) A decision of the court of appeal on relieving of office on the basis of work  
disability referred to above in Chapter 16, section 2, subsection 2 is subje ct to 
ordinary appeal to the Supreme Court. The appellate court shall consider the case  
as a matter of urgency.  
(2) The decision of the court of appeal shall be followed notwithstanding an appeal,  
unless the appellate court decides otherwise.  
Section 5 – Appeal against a decision relieving an expert member of his or her duties  
(1) A decision of an administrative court or the Insurance Court relieving an expert  
member of his or her duties, as referred to above in Chapter 17, section 21, is  
subject to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court. The appellate court shall  
consider the case as a matter of urgency.  
(2) The decision shall be followed notwithstanding an appeal, unless the appellate  
court decides otherwise.  Section 6 – Appeal against a decision of the Judicial Training Board  
(1) Grading of the examinations referred to in Chapter 18, section 2 and section 6,  
subsection 1 are subject to a request for rectification submitted within 14 days of  
service of the decision, as provided i n the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003).  
A decision on a request for rectification is not subject to ordinary appeal.  
(2) Other decisions of the Judicial Training Board are subject to ordinary appeal to  
an administrative court as provided in the Admi nistrative Judicial Procedure Act.  
The decision of the administrative court is not subject to ordinary appeal.  
 
Chapter 24 – Entry into force and transitional provisions  
 
Section 1 – Entry into force  
This Act enters into force on 1 January 2017.  
Section 2 – Acts to be repealed  
This Act repeals the following Acts:  
(1) the District Court Act (581/1993);  
(2) the Court of Appeal Act (561/1994);  
(3) the Act on the Expert Members of the Supreme Administrative Court  
(1266/2006);  
(4) the Market Court Act (99/2013);  
(5) the Insurance Court Act (132/2003);  
(6) the Judicial Appointments Act (205/2000);  
(7) the Act on the Holding of Lower Court Sessions Other Than at the Regular  
Location of Sessions (141/1932).  
Section 3 – Retention of certain decrees in force  
The following decrees remain in force:  
(1) the Government Decree on the Jurisdictions of District Courts (1053/2014);  
(2) the Government Decree on the Jurisdictions of Courts of Appeal (337/2013);  
(3) the Decree of the Ministry of Justice on the Location of Registries and Places  
Where Court Sessions Are Held (454/2009).  
Section 4 – Transitional provisions in respect of chief judges  
(1) The provisions that were in force at the time this Act enters into force shall apply  
to the filling of a position as chief  judge that had been opened for applications before  
this Act entered into force.  
(2) A permanent chief judge who had been appointed before this Act enters into force  
shall be deemed to have resigned from his or her position at the time that he or she  
had been appointed as chief judge of another court for the fixed term referred to in  
Chapter 11, section 2, subsection 1. Such a chief judge does not have the right, at  
the end of the term, to return to the position of permanent chief judge. Chapter 11,  
sectio n 13 applies to his or her right, at the end of the term, to be appointed to a  
permanent position as a judge.  
(3) A permanent chief judge appointed before this Act enters into force may, on his  
or her application, be transferred to another judicial positio n that is vacant in the  
same court, if he or she has served without interruption for at least seven years and  
has reached the age of 63 years. The chief judge shall indicate his or her intention to  
transfer to this other judicial position, before the posit ion is announced as vacant.  
The appointing authority shall decide on the transfer. In deciding matters of  
administration of justice, the chief judge transferring to the position as judge is  
second in seniority after the chief judge.  
Section 5 – Transitiona l provisions in respect of other judges  
(1) On the entry of this Act into force, the title of “justice of the Supreme  Administrative Court” becomes the title “justice”. 4 
(2) Also persons who, on the entry of this Act into force, have been appointed as  
senior judges at a court of appeal, are court of appeal justices, and persons who, on  
the entry of this Act into force, have been appointed as senior judges at the  
Insurance Court, are Insurance Court judges. The provisions concerning court of  
appeal justices or Insurance Court judges apply also to them.  
(3) Persons who, at the time this Act enters into force, have been appointed as senior  
judge of a court of appeal or senior judge of the Insurance Court have the right, on  
the entry of this Act into force, to s erve in a position that requires leadership skills.  
In serving in such a position they are members of the management board of the  
court and of the composition referred to in Chapter 11, section 10, subsection 1.  
Section 6 – Transitional provisions in respe ct of other personnel  
(1) On the entry of this Act into force, the titles of “senior secretary of a court of  
appeal” and “court of appeal assessor” are amended to become “court of appeal  
referendary”, “administrative court secretary” to become “administrat ive court  
referendary”, “Market Court secretary” to become “Market Court draftsperson”,  
“Labour Court secretary” to become “Labour Court referendary”, and “Insurance  
4 Before the Act entered into force, a simple distinction existed in Finnish between the titles of  
“justice of the Supreme Court” (“oikeusneuvos”) and “justice of the Supreme Administrative Court”  
(“hallintoneuvos”). With the entry of this Act into force, the first term was extended to refer also to  
justices of the Supreme Administrative Court . In English, this linguistic nuance could be indicated  
by using the title “high court justice”, which would distinguish the term from the title “court of  
appeal justice”. However, in the present translation justices of the Supreme Court and the  
Supreme Ad ministrative Court are collectively referred to as “justices”, and those serving in courts  
of appeal are referred to with the longer title “court of appeal justices”.  
Court assessor” and “Insurance Court secretary” to become “Insurance Court  
referendary”.  
(2) If a referendary referred to in section 9 of the repealed Court of Appeal Act has  
been appointed in a case to a court of appeal panel before this Act enters into force,  
the panel is competent to decide after this Act enters into force. If, when this Ac t 
enters into force, a referendary of the Insurance Court is a judicial member of a  
panel in the Insurance Court considering a case, he or she may be a part of the  
panel when this Act enters into force.  
(3) Sections 3(a), 3(b) and 4(a), section 14, subsection 3, section 17 and section 20,  
subsection 2 of the repealed District Court Act apply to a senior district court  
secretary who had been appointed before this Act enters into force.  
Section 7 – References to earlier law  
If a reference exists elsewh ere in law to a provision that was in force at the time this  
Act enters into force, the corresponding provision in this Act shall apply instead.