The Department of Judicial Administration is responsible for the practical functioning of the courts, the enforcement units and the State legal aid offices. The Department is also in charge of developing their activities.

The courts and other judicial authorities are responsible for the administration of justice, that is for the practical implementation of the legal safety of the citizens. The judicial power is exercised by independent courts. Other judicial authorities are the prosecutors and the enforcement authorities. The judicial administration also includes legal assistance provided by private lawyers and legal aid offices run by the State.

The Ministry of Justice is in charge of the general organisation and development of judicial administration in Finland. This is done through legislation and administrative measures of different kinds. Matters of judicial administration are presented by the Minister of Justice in the Council of State. The preparation and implementation of issues of judicial administration are the duty of the Department of Judicial Administration.

It is part of the nature of judicial administration that an administrative authority cannot interfere in a specific case that is being considered by issuing administrative orders or instructions. This independence of the judicial authorities is supported by legislation making it impossible for an administrative authority to influence, even indirectly, the work of a judicial authority or a lawyer. For this reason judges enjoy absolute protection against unilateral termination and lawyers an absolute right of secrecy regarding information obtained from their clients. The independence of judicial authorities and lawyers is based on the Finnish Constitution.

Head of Department, Director General Kari Kiesiläinen, tel. +358 (0)9 1606 7532

Updated on March 4, 2010