Criminal
The Criminal Code (Brottsbalken) with lay judges
Criminal law is codified in the Brottsbalken. Lay judges (nämndemän) sit with a professional judge in the District Courts, and prosecutions are run by the independent Prosecution Authority.
Key rules
- Lay judges sit alongside the professional judge in criminal trials.
- The Prosecution Authority decides charges independently of government.
- Life imprisonment exists but is normally converted to a fixed term on later review.
Governing law
- Criminal Code (Brottsbalken)
- Code of Judicial Procedure (Rättegångsbalken)
Penalties and consequences
- Fines, probation and imprisonment, including a convertible life sentence
In practice
A life sentence in Sweden is typically reviewed and converted to a determinate term, so it rarely means detention for the offender's whole life.