Rules of procedure of the National Courts Administration

The Board of Directors of the National Courts Administration confirmed the agency’s rules of procedure under chapter 19a, section 6, subsection 2, paragraph 9 and section 13 of the Finnish Courts Act (673/2016, as amended by Act No 209/2019) on 11 March 2026.

Chapter 1 – Overview

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Section 1 – Scope of application

These rules of procedure lay down provisions complementing those of chapter 19a of the Finnish Courts Act (209/2019) and other applicable laws concerning the governance, organisation, performance management and personnel of the National Courts Administration, duties of the agency’s organisational units and employees as well as planning and decision-making processes.

Provisions on the financial planning and monitoring of the agency’s finances, payment transactions, accounting, other financial management and internal control are laid down in the financial rules of the court system accounting unit. Rules on internal auditing are issued by the agency’s Internal Audit Unit.

The court system includes the courts and the National Courts Administration and the boards acting as independent authorities in connection with the agency.

Section 2 – Duties of the National Courts Administration

The purpose of the National Courts Administration is to ensure the operating conditions of the court system, the development, planning and support of the operations of the courts in such a way that the courts are able to exercise their judicial powers in a high-quality manner and that the administration of the courts is organised efficiently and appropriately.

Section 3 – Relationship between the National Courts Administration and individual courts of law

Provisions on the relationship between the National Courts Administration and individual courts of law are laid down in the Finnish Courts Act.

Section 4 – General principles of governance

The performance guidance of the judiciary shall comply with the provisions and regulations on it.

Each year, the National Courts Administration negotiates with the Ministry of Justice on the performance targets of the judiciary. As a result of the negotiations, a performance agreement will be drawn up and approved by the Board of Directors.

Performance negotiations with courts follow the objectives and other policies set by the Board of Directors of the National Courts Administration for the entire court system for the current accounting year.

The Director General is responsible for the departments for conducting performance negotiations with the courts. The Director General shall report to the Board of Directors on the progress and outcome of the performance negotiations. The Board of Directors confirms the summary of the performance negotiations with the courts.

Section 5 – General principles of leadership

The agency is led in accordance with the principles of performance management as well as strategies and plans confirmed by the Board of Directors. Performance management is supported by the departments’ performance targets, encouraging pay and target and development discussions. 

Chapter 2 – Organisation

Section 6 – Board of Directors

The highest decision-making body in the National Courts Administration is the board of directors. Provisions on the duties, composition and election of the members of the Board of Directors are laid down in the Finnish Courts Act.

Section 7 – Director General

The National Courts Administration is headed by a Director General. The Director General is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Agency and shall act as referendary to the Board of Directors.

Section 8 – Departments, groups, teams and leaders

The National Courts Administration consists of a Development Department, a Finance Department and an Administrative Department. The directors of departments report to the Director General.

There may be groups and teams within the departments. A group shall be an administrative unit of the agency, the work of which shall be managed by its supervisor under the authority of the director of the department. The team may have a team leader who coordinates the team’s work under the direction of the director of the department or the group’s supervisor. The division of groups and teams is confirmed by the Director General on presentation by the director of the department.

Groups and teams may also be established under the authority of the Director General. (30.10.2024)

The National Courts Administration has a communications group that reports to the Director General. Other groups may also be established under the Director General. (11.3.2026)

The agency has a designated Head of Communications as well as a Head of Public Affairs. The Head of Communications and the Head of Court Support and Public Affairs (Head of Public Affairs) work alongside the departments and report directly to the Director General. (11.3.2026)

Section 9 – Executive Team

The National Courts Administration has an Executive Team to help coordinate the day-to-day running of the agency.

The Executive Team consists of the Director General, the directors of department, the Head of Communications, the Head of Public Affairs and other public officials appointed by the Director General. The Executive Team also includes a personnel representative elected by the agency’s employees. (11.3.2026)

The Executive Team deals with matters determined by the Director General, in particular matters concerning the entire judiciary decided on by the Board of Directors of the agency, as well as other key matters concerning the tasks and personnel of the agency.

Directors and managers must bring important matters in their respective sectors to the Executive Team’s attention.

Section 10 – Internal audit

The internal audit rules of the National Courts Administration lay down provisions on internal audit procedures and the status of the agency. The Director of risk management of the agency acts as the responsible official for internal audit. Further provisions on internal control and related risk management are laid down in the Financial Regulation.

Section 11 – Data protection officer

The National Courts Administration has a data protection officer for the performance of tasks defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and elsewhere in the legislation. In the performance of his/her duties, the data protection officer shall be independent and shall report directly to the highest level of management of the Agency. (11.3.2026)

Section 12 – Personnel

The National Courts Administration has public-service personnel whose posts, duties and remuneration are determined in accordance with the provisions laid down hereafter.

The agency’s posts are common. The Director General decides on the placement of posts in the agency.

Chapter 3 – Duties and procedures of the Board of Directors

Section 13 – Duties of the Board of Directors

In addition to what is provided for in the Finnish Courts Act, the Board of Directors is responsible for:

  1. approving the operating and financial plans of the Judicial Training Board and the Judicial Appointments Board and the allocation of appropriations to the boards,
  2. deciding on applying for other significant additional funding, (11.3.2026)
  3. signing the financial statements of The Court System accounting unit for its own part,
  4. approving the preliminary training budget for the judiciary staff for the following financial year,
  5. approving the proposal for a framework for the judiciary,
  6. deciding on the establishment, termination and amendment of the Agency’s posts and on the approval of a specific collective agreement,
  7. appointing directors of department to a post and a fixed-term public-service relationship,
  8. appointing the Head of Communications and the Head of Public Affairs to a position and a fixed-term public-service relationship, (11.3.2026)
  9. deciding on the Director General’s leaves of absence and the granting of leaves of absence of more than one year to directors of department and leaves of absence of more than two years to other officials,
  10. appointing deputies for the Director General.

Section 14 – Organisation of the work of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors selects among its members a chairperson and two deputy chairpersons.

The Board of Directors shall elect a secretary on presentation of the Director General.

Section 15 – Meetings of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall be convened by the chairperson or, in his or her absence, by the deputy chairperson. If the chairperson and the two deputy chairpersons are unable to attend, the Director General may convene a meeting for urgent reasons.

The notice of the meeting, the agenda and the material to be discussed at the meeting shall, as a rule, be sent electronically to the members of the Board of Directors one week before the date of the meeting.

By decision of the chairperson, the meeting of the Board of Directors may also be held by electronic means, either as an electronic meeting or as an electronic decision-making process. The participants at the electronic meeting are in visual and audio contact with each other or at least in audio contact. In the electronic decision-making process, matters specified in the agenda are decided within the time limit indicated in the notice of the meeting. The matter has been dealt with when a majority of all members of the Board of Directors have expressed a common position on the matter and the time limit for dealing with the matter has expired.

The Director General shall participate in the meetings of the Board of Directors, unless there is an impediment. In addition to the members of the Board of Directors, the secretary and the Director General, the directors of the departments and managers of the National Courts Administration shall have the right to attend the meetings, unless otherwise decided by the Board of Directors, as well as the officials presenting the case with regard to the subject matter they present and other persons invited to the meetings.

Section 16 – Decision-making process of the Board of Directors

The Board of Directors shall take its decision on the presentation, with the exception of any matter concerning the appointment, dismissal or suspension of the Director General or any other significant decision concerning the employment of the Director General. (2.10.2024)

In addition to the Director General, directors of departments and officials of the Agency appointed by the Director General may act as referendaries for the Board of Directors. Due to the impediment or disqualification of the Director General, the chairperson of the Board of Directors shall, in an individual case, order an official of the agency to present the matter.

The referendary shall bring the matter to the Board of Directors without delay. In the decision matter, the referendary prepares a proposal for a decision, which must contain the information necessary for deciding on the matter and the relevant legislative and regulatory provisions and the referendary’s proposal for a decision. If the matter is not decided on presentation, the chairperson of the Board of Directors or any other member designated by the Board of Directors from among them shall be responsible for preparing the matter. (2.10.2024)

A majority of the members at the meeting decide whether to put the matter on the table. In appointments matters, at the request of a member of the Board of Directors, the matter shall be placed on the table until the next meeting. After that, the matter can no longer be put on the table at the request of a member.

The minutes shall be drawn up by the secretary of the Board of Directors. The minutes shall include at least the time and place of the meeting, the members present, the quorum, the referendaries of the meeting and the decisions taken, and an indication of their eligibility for appeal. A member’s vote shall be recorded in the minutes, as shall the dissenting opinion of the referendary.

The minutes shall be adopted at the next meeting of the Board of Directors or separately by electronic decision-making.

Chapter 4 – Duties of the departments

Section 17 – Cooperation within the National Courts Administration

The tasks of the National Courts Administration are common to the agency. When performing tasks, it must be ensured that matters are handled in cooperation and on an adequate scale with different departments and other actors in the agency as well as with the boards operating in connection with the agency.

Chapter 18 – Duties of the Development Department

The Development Department is responsible for:

  1. developing the functioning of the judiciary,
  2. steering the development projects of the courts,
  3. steering the development, introduction and maintenance of the sector-specific information systems of the courts and represents the judiciary in information system matters,
  4. coordinating research activities at the agency,
  5. planning and implementing the competence development of the personnel of the judiciary,
  6. ensuring cooperation with the Judicial Training Board,
  7. preparing and taking responsibility for the agency’s international and EU tasks,
  8. supporting civilian crisis management tasks to courts,
  9. supporting the international administration of justice to courts,
  10. other duties assigned by the Director General.

Section 19 – Duties of the Finance Department

The Finance Department is responsible for:

  1. preparing the operating and financial plan of the judiciary, the spending limits and budget proposals and supplementary budget proposals,
  2. preparing performance guidance for the judiciary,
  3. preparing the agency’s performance agreement,
  4. accounting, payment transactions, financial statements and reporting of the accounting unit,
  5. providing support and advice to courts in financial matters,
  6. the planning and implementation of court premises matters,
  7. coordinating matters related to the premises security of courts,
  8. centralised procurement matters in the court system and develops and steers the procurement activities of the accounting unit,
  9. other duties assigned by the Director General.

Section 20 – Duties of the Administrative Department (30.10.2024)

The Administrative Department is responsible for:

  1. the tasks of the National Courts Administration relating to the appointment of judges,
  2. organising and developing the personnel matters of the National Courts Administration and courts in so far as they do not belong to a court or other authority,
  3. matters related to court appointments and collective agreements,
  4. laying down the criteria and amounts for the remuneration and allowances of expert members of the courts,
  5. organising the agency’s document management, archiving and case management,
  6. coordinating and providing advice on matters relating to the information management and the protection of personal data by courts, and is responsible for the information management tasks, information management guidelines and the preparation of the information management model laid down in the Public Administration Information Management Act (906/2019) at the National Courts Administration,
  7. coordination and support of data protection matters to courts and sees to the operating conditions of the data protection Officer of the National Courts Administration in accordance with section 11,
  8. the agency’s risk management and security matters,
  9. coordinating court preparedness matters and is responsible for the agency’s preparedness,
  10. the internal management of the agency, which is not the responsibility of another department,
  11. the procurement of the agency to the extent that it does not belong to the financial department,
  12. supporting language services to courts,
  13. the agency’s support services and the assistant services of the Judicial Appointments Board and the Judicial Training Board,
  14. the management and maintenance of a reporting channel within the judiciary in accordance with the Whistleblowing Directive and the Whistleblower Act
  15. developing the competence of the personnel of the National Courts Administration,
  16. other duties assigned by the Director General.

Chapter 5 – Duties and decision-making powers

Section 21 – Duties and decision-making powers of the Board of Directors

Provisions on the decision-making powers of the Board of Directors are laid down in the Finnish Courts Act and in Section 13 of these rules of procedure.

Section 22 – Duties and decision-making powers of the Director General

The Director-General directs and heads the agency. He/she is responsible for the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of the agency’s activities.

The Director General shall decide matters which do not fall within the competence of the Board of Directors which are not provided for in the Rules of Procedure to be decided by another official. The Director General may order a matter falling within his or her decision-making power to be decided by another official of the agency.

The Director General shall carry out any other duties laid down by the Board of Directors.

Section 23 – Duties and decision-making powers of the directors of the departments

The directors of the departments are responsible for running their respective departments, conducting performance reviews for their subordinates, ensuring productivity, assisting the management of the agency and other human resources of the agency in their respective duties as well as for making decisions on matters assigned to them by the Director General.

Matters concerning the remuneration of court staff shall be decided by the Director of the Administrative Department to the extent that they are not for the Board of Directors to decide. The criteria for the remuneration shall be determined by the Director General.

Provisions on resolving matters related to financial administration and financial management procedures are laid down in the financial rules of the Court System accounting unit.

Section 24 – Appointment, duties and decision-making power of the group’s supervisor (11.3.2026)

An official of the National Courts Administration may, without substantially altering his or her position, be assigned to perform the duties of a group’s supervisor officer. The assignment is made for a maximum of three years at a time, and the assignment may be cancelled for a weighty reason. The Director General decides on the appointment on presentation of the Director of the Department.

The Director General shall decide on the assignment of the group’s supervisor, on the proposal of the head of the department.

The task of the group’s supervisor is to direct the activities of his or her group as the group’s administrative supervisor. The group’s supervisor directs the group’s daily work and exercises the employer’s right to direct. The group’s supervisor is responsible for the group’s personnel’s target and development discussions. A pay supplement may be paid to the supervisor if the said task is not considered to be directly included in the duties of the post in question.

The Director General shall decide on the appointment of the group’s supervisor for a group established under the Director General.

Section 25 – Team Leader Assignment and Duties (11.3.2026)

An official of the National Courts Administration may, without fundamentally altering his or her position, be assigned to act as a team leader. The assignment shall be made for a maximum of three years at a time and may be revoked for a weighty reason.

The assignment of a team leader shall be decided by the head of department for his or her department.

The team leader’s task is to guide the team’s daily work in support of the Director General, the Head of Department and the group’s supervisor.

Section 26 – The tasks of the Head of Communications and the communications group (11.3.2026)

The Head of Communications is responsible for organising, directing and developing the Agency’s communications and court communications support, and acts as the supervisor of the communications group. The Head of Communications leads communications in cooperation with the Director General. The Director General may also assign other tasks to the Head of Communications.

The communications group:

  1. is responsible for the internal and external communication of the National Courts Administration, the implementation, coordination and development of communications;
  2. is responsible for the common internal and external communication of the judiciary;
  3. supports the courts in their communication and the development of communications;
  4. supports the courts in matters relating to library and information services;
  5. coordinates the judiciary’s media judges, communications and information service networks and represent the judiciary in the joint networks of the judicial administration in this field; and
  6. performs other duties assigned by the Director General.

Section 27 – Duties of the Head of Public Affairs

The Head of Public Affairs is responsible for the management and development of court support and stakeholder cooperation. The Head of Public Affairs leads stakeholder cooperation in cooperation with the Director General. The Director General may also assign other tasks to the Head of Public Affairs.

Section 28 – Duties of the data protection officer

The data protection officer is responsible for providing guidance and advice on obligations under data protection provisions and for carrying out other tasks specified in the GDPR. The data protection officer shall be independent in the performance of his/her duties and shall report directly to the management of the agency.

Section 29 – Employer officials

The employer officials of the agency are the Director General and the directors of the departments in accordance with section 10 (148/2019), subsection 3 paragraph 3 of the Government collective agreements Regulation (1203/1987). The Director General shall designate the employers’ officials referred to in paragraph 5 of that provision from the officials whose main task is to deal with the personnel management of the judiciary.

Chapter 6 – Procedures

Section 30 – Decision-making process

The decision-making process within the agency is based on presentations, unless otherwise stipulated by the Director General or the head of the relevant department.

The directors of the departments may assign matters within his/her decision-making powers to an official assigned to his/her department. The order is issued and the matter to be decided by virtue of the order is decided without presentation.

In situations open to interpretation, the Director General shall determine which department shall take charge of the matter.

Section 31 – Presentations

The referendary is the public official of the agency to whom the preparation of the matter belongs or the public official appointed by the supervisor.

The referendary must bring the matter to the table without delay. The referendary shall draw up a proposal for a decision, which shall contain the information necessary for the decision-making of the matter and the relevant legislative and regulatory provisions and the referendary’s proposal for a decision.

Section 32 – Referral and decision-making of matters

The Director General may, after hearing the Director of the Department, delegate the presentation or decision of the matter to another official.

The Board of Directors may, for a justified reason, decide on a matter in the power of decision of the Director General.

Provisions on the right of the Director General to decide the matter himself or herself are laid down in the Finnish Courts Act.

Chapter 7 –Processing of personnel matters of the National Courts Administration

Section 33 – Appointments

The Board of Directors appoints the Director General, the Directors of the Departments, the Head of Communications and the Head of Public Affairs to a position and a fixed-term public-service relationship. (11.3.2026)

The Director General appoints to other posts and fixed-term public-service relationships.

Section 34 – Leave of absence

The Director General shall grant leave of absence on a discretionary basis for a maximum of one year to the Director of the Department and for a maximum of two years to other officials. Leave exceeding the abovementioned period of one or two years shall be decided by the Board of Directors.

Non-discretionary leave of absence is granted by the Director of the Administrative Department.

Section 35 – Annual leave and absences (30.10.2024)

Matters concerning annual leave and absences are decided by the official’s supervisor. Annual leave and absences of the Director General and of the secretaries of the Judicial Training Board and the Judicial Appointments Board shall be approved by the Director of the Administrative Department.

Section 36 –Approval of travel plans and invoices (30.10.2024)

The Director General approves travel plans and invoices for trips abroad. Other travel plans and invoices are approved by the official’s supervisor. The Director of the Administrative Department shall approve all travel plans and invoices of the Director General and the Secretaries of the Judicial Training Board and the Judicial Appointments Board.

Section 37 – Appointment of deputies

The Deputy Director of the Department shall be appointed by the Director General. If necessary, the Director of the Department appoints the group’s deputy supervisor and deputy team leader.

Section 38 – Approval of secondary occupations

Secondary employment notices of the personnel of the National Courts Administration are approved by the supervisor and permissions for secondary occupations are granted by the Director General. A matter concerning a secondary post of the Director General shall be decided by the Board of Directors. (11.3.2026)

Section 39 – Remuneration

The Director General shall confirm the personnel’s difficulty and performance assessments and levels, the job-specific and personal pay component and any other pay components and fees on presentation of the Administrative Department.

Section 40 – Other personnel matters

Decisions on personnel matters other than those referred to in this chapter shall be made by the Director of the Administrative Department.

Chapter 8 – Other provisions

Section 41 – Qualification requirements for personnel

The post of the Director of the Department requires a higher university degree, familiarity with the field of responsibility of the post and proven management skills.

Section 42 – Processing of a request for administrative review

A request for administrative review under the Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003) addressed to the agency shall be processed and decided by the institution or public official that decided the matter.

Section 43 – Setting up of projects

The Director General shall appoint the agency’s projects, unless, in view of its importance, the matter falls within the competence of the Board of Directors.

Section 44 – Cooperation

Matters are prepared in cooperation with the personnel as laid down and prescribed in the Act on Cooperation in Government agencies (1233/2013).

The management of the agency, referendaries and other officials preparing matters must ensure that the Cooperation Act and agreements are complied with.

Section 45 – Preparedness and protection activities

The Director General appoints those responsible for preparedness and protection activities.

Section 46 – Location of the agency

The National Courts Administration is based in Vantaa and has no other offices.

Section 47 – Entry into force

These rules of procedure are effective as of 1 May 2023.

Amendements

  • Section 16(1) and (3) amended from 3.10.2024 (Board of Directors 2.10.2024/5)
  •  section 8 added new subsection 3, section 20 deleted paragraphs 5 and 6, section 24 added new subsection 2 and amended subsections 1, 3 and 4, and sections 25, 34 and 35 amended from 1.1.2025 (Board of Directors 30.10.2024/4) 
  • section 8 amended paragraphs 3 and 4, section 9 amended paragraph 2. section 11 amended. section 13 amended points 2 and 8, deleted point 3. section 24 deleted paragraph 4, added new paragraph 4, amended paragraphs 1, 2 and 3. section 25 deleted, added new section 25, amended numbering of the sections from there on. Added new section 26. section 27 (formerly section 26) amended. section 33 (formerly section 32) amended paragraph 1. Section 38 (formerly section 37) amended. Amendments from 1 May 2026 (Board of Directors 11.3.2026 / 2)

Mika Ilveskero
johtokunnan puheenjohtaja
Riku Jaakkola
ylijohtaja