Researching the Law of Sweden

Last Updated 1/2009.  Direct feedback on this page to lawlib@umn.edu.

Introduction

 

The University of Minnesota Law Library has historically had a very impressive collection of Swedish legal materials. Since 1983, when the Law School initiated an annual exchange of faculty and students with Uppsala University, special efforts have been made to collect current Swedish legal materials. The Law Library collects primary sources and many scholarly legal commentaries published in Sweden. Although most publications are in Swedish, the Law Library purchases translations whenever possible. Swedish legal materials are mainly shelved under the Library of Congress class KKV on the 4th floor of the library. The following guide provides a brief overview of the major types of materials that are available. For further information or assistance in using the materials, please contact the reference staff.

Legislative Materials


The Law Library has selected reports of legislative commissions, Statens Offentliga Utredningar (SOUs), that are shelved under KKV15.6.S73x on the fourth floor. If you know the number of a particular SOU, search the above title in MNCAT, the online catalog, and check the holdings where the number will be listed. Another method for finding a particular SOU is to search MNCAT under the name of the commission or under the title or subject of the report.

SOUs are also available at Wilson Library (J406.R15) along with other official parliamentary publications (Riksdagstryck) (J406.H24). Recent parliamentary materials are available on the Internet at http://www.riksdagen.se/templates/R_SubStartPage____5029.aspx . Wilson Library also has bibliographies and other tools for finding Swedish legislative information (e.g., Riksdagens Årsbok and Sveriges Statliga Publikationer, Bibliografi). Consult MNCAT under author or title for holdings and exact locations.

Laws & Statutes

 

The Law Library receives Swedish laws as they are enacted. These laws are published in chronological order in Svensk Författningssamling, (KKV12.S88x). Recent enactments are available on the Internet on Lagrummet (http://www.lagrummet.se/rattsinformation/forfattningar/), Regeringskansliet (http://62.95.69.15/), and Rixlex (http://www.riksdagen.se/webbnav/index.aspx?nid=3910). Reports on new legislation, found in Nytt Juridiskt Arkiv II, are available in Foreign Serials (FOR-S) on the fourth floor.

The laws in force are consolidated in Sveriges Rikes Lag (KKV12.S9) and Sveriges Lagar (KKV12.S92). Another publication of consolidated laws in force, Svensk Lagsamling, is available on the Internet at Rättsnätet. 

The Law Library has translations of the following laws:

  • Swedish Code of Judicial Procedure (KKV1650.A31942 A4 1999)
  • Swedish Penal Code (KKV3794.31962.A52 1999)
  • Swedish Maritime Code (KKV970.A31944 A7 1995)

A listing of English translations for other laws is available on the Internet (http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/3288).

Judicial Reports

 

The Law Library receives reports of the following courts:

  • Supreme Court (Högsta Domstolen) found in Nytt Juridisk Arkiv I in Foreign Serials (FOR-S).

     

  • Courts of Appeals (Hovrätterna) found in Rättsfall från Hovrätterna (KKV20.R38x).

     

  • Chamber Court (Kammarrätten) found in Kammarrättens Årsbok (KKV21.K36x).

     

  • Labor Court (Arbetsdomstolen) found in Arbetsdomstolens Domar (KKV23.A73x).

     

  • Supreme Administrative Court (Regeringsrätten) found in Regeringsrättens Årsbok (KKV18.R44x).

Leading decisions of the Supreme Court are available on the Internet (http://www.hogstadomstolen.se/prejudikat.htm).

Treaties

 

The Law Library has treaties between Sweden and other nations, Sveriges Internationella Överenskommelser (JX8061991x) on the third floor. They are also available in Svensk Författningssamling (KKV12.S88x) on the fourth floor. Recent treaties are available on the Internet (http://www.regeringen.se/sb/d/3305).

Periodicals

 

The Law Library subscribes to major Swedish legal periodicals, including Svensk Jurist Tidning. These are located in Foreign Serials (FOR-S) and generally are shelved under title. Consult MNCAT under the title of the periodical or subject matter for holdings.

Texts

 

Consult MNCAT under author, title or subject (e.g., taxation--law and legislation--sweden) to find particular works and their locations.

Reference Tools

(Research guides, dictionaries, descriptions/overviews of the Swedish legal system)

 

The Law Library has various guides to research, indexes, dictionaries, and descriptions of Swedish law.

 

Research Guides

Foreign Law: Current Sources of Codes and Basic Legislation in Jurisdictions of the World, by Thomas Reynolds and Arturo Flores (Ref. Office K38.R49 1989) provides an overview of the legal system and a guide to Swedish legal resources.  Swedish Law and Legal Materials, by Ingrid Kabir and Sofia Sternberg and Online Legal Information in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden offer links to electronic legal resources.

Dictionaries

For non-Swedish speaking patrons, the Library has a few very helpful English-Swedish legal dictionaries that can be requested in the reference office. Juridikordbok: Svensk-Engelsk Fackordbok (Ref. Office K52.S9 M37x 1991),Anglo-Scandinavian Law Dictionary of Legal Terms Used in Professional and Commercial Practice (Ref. Office K54.A53x 1977), Kortfattad Engelsk-Svensk Juridisk Ordbok = A Concise English-Swedish Glossary of Legal Terms (Ref. Office K52.S9 B78 1980), and Kortfattad Svensk-Englelsk Juridisk Ordlista = A Concise Swedish-English Glossary of Legal Terms (Ref. Office K52.S9.B33x 1973).

Overviews of the Swedish Legal System

Useful overviews of Swedish law are given in An Introduction to Swedish Law, by Stig Strömholm (KKV68.I58x) and Swedish Law: A Survey, by Hugo Tiberg (Ref. Office KKV68.S94x 1994). Modern Legal Systems Cyclopedia (K530.M62 1984) includes a chapter on the Swedish legal system. RIA Worldwide Commercial Law (K1004.15 1976) and Tax Laws of the World: Sweden (KKV3544 1970x) also cover Swedish law. Several brief introductions to Swedish law from the Ministry of Justice and Swedish Judicial System are also available on the Internet.

The English-language serial Scandinavian Studies in Law, shelved in Foreign Serials (FOR-S) and indexed in Index to Foreign Legal Periodicals (also Reference K33.I55x, also provides articles on Swedish law. In addition, several translations of Swedish laws are available in the Library: Swedish Code of Judicial Procedure, Swedish Penal Code, Swedish Maritime Code, and Constitutional Documents of Sweden. Consult MNCAT for specific locations.