Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 February 2019
Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are among the most technologically advanced countries in the world. It is not surprising, therefore, to find sophisticated online systems offering extensive access to legal information in each country. This article briefly traces the development of online legal information in Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. In addition, it provides a country by country overview of the legal databases and online guides to electronic legal resources that are currently available. Most of the databases discussed can be accessed, wholly or in part, without charge via the Internet. A few are restricted to paid subscribers or are available only on CD-ROM. It should be noted that, while Denmark and Sweden are members of the European Union, this article does not cover the databases in either country specifically devoted to European Union law.
1 A recent study measuring the ability of fifty-five countries to access and absorb information and information technology ranked Denmark, Norway, and Sweden 5th, 4th, and 1st respectively. A summary of this study, the IDC/World Times Information Society Index, can be found at <http://www.worldpaper.com/ISI/country.html>..>Google Scholar
2 See infra pages 59–74.Google Scholar
3 Lov af 25 juni 1870 (Lovtidendeloven).Google Scholar
4 Betænkning om Lovtidende og Ministerialtidende afgivet af det af Justitsministeriet den 22 marts 1965 udvalg. Betænkning nr. 740 (Copenhagen, Statens Trykningskontor, 1975).Google Scholar
5 Karnov, Sven, Det juridiske informationssystem og datateknikken:rapport til Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd (Copenhagen: Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd, 1976);_____, Det juridiske informationssystem: en brugerunders⊘gelse: rapport til Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd (Copenhagen: Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd, 1978);_____, Det juridiske informationssystem: et pr⊘veprojekt: rapport til Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd (Copenhagen: Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd, 1979);_____, Det juridiske informationssystem: afsluttende rapport: rapport til Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd (Copenhagen: Statens samfundsvidenskabelige forskningsråd, 1979).Google Scholar
6 This report is discussed in “Bilag 4,” Retsinformationsrådets Betæenkning om en Lovdatabase, Betænkning nr. 1001 (Copenhagen: Statens Informationstjeneste, 1988), 121.Google Scholar
7 “Notat om rådets nedsættelse og opgaver,” reproduced as “Bilag 4,” in Retsinformationsrådets betænkning om en lovdatabase, 121–122.Google Scholar
8 The text of this directive is reproduced as “Bilag 1,” in Retsinformationsrådets betænkning om en lovdatabase, 91–92.Google Scholar
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10 Ibid., 70.Google Scholar
11 If a discrepancy occurs between a consolidated text and the original text in the Law Gazette, the text in the gazette is the authoritative text. Peter Blume, Juridisk informationss⊘gning, 3d ed. (n.p.: Akademisk Forlag, 1989), 120.Google Scholar
12 Retsinformationsrådet, Retsinformationsrådets betænkning om databaser med konkrete afg⊘relser, Betænkning nr. 1144 (Copenhagen: Statens Informationstjeneste, 1988).Google Scholar
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14 Lovbekendtg⊘relse nr. 621 af 2 oktober 1987 om offentlige myndigheders registre. This law was recently superseded by Lov nr. 429 af 31 maj 2000 om behandling af personoplysninger.Google Scholar
15 Retsinformationsrådet, Retsinformationsrådets betænkning om databaser med konkrete afg⊘relser, 95.Google Scholar
16 Cirkulære om indlæggelse af afg⊘relser i Retsinformation, nr. 85 af 8 juli 1988, reprinted as “Bilag 9,” in Retsinformationsrådet, Retsinformationsrådets betænkning om databaser med konkrete afg⊘relser, 185–186.Google Scholar
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19 This guide is also published in the journal, Referencen 28 (1999): 3–8.Google Scholar
20 This guide is also published in Referencen, 29 (1999): 3–9.Google Scholar
21 “Lovene på EDB,” Aftenposten, Nov. 9, 1971.Google Scholar
22 This is now called the Norwegian Research Center for Computers and Law [Institutt for Rettsinformatikk].Google Scholar
23 This report was published in a series from the University of Oslo Department for Data Processing Matters, NORIS, 18 (Oslo: n.p., 1977).Google Scholar
24 The events discussed in this paragraph are described in Morten Daae, Kort om Lovdatas f⊘rste Historie, §4 (as found at <http://www.lovdata.no/litt/index.html>).).>Google Scholar
25 Regulations for the Lovdata Foundation, §3 (as found at <http://www.lovdata.no/litt/papers-regul.html>).).>Google Scholar
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27 Daae, Morten, Kort om Lovdatas f⊘rste historie, §7.4.Google Scholar
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30 The are reports of official commissions of inquiry appointed by the government to explore proposals for legislative reform.Google Scholar
31 Lov nr.31 av 14 apr. 2000 om behandling av personopplysninger (Personopplysningsloven).Google Scholar
32 ODIN stands for Official Documentation and Information in Norway [Offentlig dokumentasjon og informasjon i Norge].Google Scholar
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34 Lov nr. 37 av 4 juni 1999 om endringer i rettergangslovene permits courts to delete such information.Google Scholar
35 Plikt- og rettighetsinformasjon på Internett: rapport fra en arbeidsgruppe nedsatt av Arbeids- og administrasjonsdepartementet (Oslo: Departementet, 1999).Google Scholar
36 Ibid., 5.Google Scholar
37 The Joint Committee on Information Systems was established through a Ministry of Justice directive, Ju 1968:59.Google Scholar
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39 Kungörelsen 1970:517, §1 (RI-kungörelsen).Google Scholar
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41 The committee sent a memo dated March 14, 1980 to the government recommending that Rättsdata be opened for anyone to use. This is discussed in Samarbetsorganet för Rättsväsendets Informationssystem, Rättsdatasystemet: en orientering, Ds Ju 1980:10 (Stockholm: LiberFörlag/Allmänna Förlaget, 1980).Google Scholar
42 Förordning 1980:628 (Rättsdataförordningen) reproduced as “Bilaga 3,” in Rättsdatasystemet: en orientering, Ds Ju 1980:10 (Stockholm: LiberFörlag/Allmänna Förlaget, 1981).Google Scholar
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47 The report is discussed in detail in Peter Seipel, “Stiftelsen för rättsinformation och den svenska situationen,” in Nordisk rettsinformatikk: foredrag fra Oslokonferansen 21.og 22. september 1989 (Oslo: Tano, 1990), 132–134.Google Scholar
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49 Förordning 1986:587.Google Scholar
50 The commission's statement, dated October 8, 1996, is available at <http://itkommissionen.se>..>Google Scholar
51 Regeringens proposition 1995/96:125 Åtgärder för att bredda och utveckla användningen av informationsteknik (Measures for Broadening and Developing Use of Information Technology), §5.3.4.Google Scholar
52 Regerings skrivelse 1995/96:282.Google Scholar
53 These reports are called Statens offentliga utredningar (SOU) and Departementesserier (Ds). They present the results of official investigations on government proposals, including proposals for legislative reforms.Google Scholar
54 Ett offentligt rättsinformationssystem, Ds 1998:10. (Stockholm: Fritzes Offentliga Publikationer, 1998).Google Scholar
55 Regeringens skrivelse 1998/99:17.Google Scholar
56 Förordning 1999:175 (Rättsinformationsförordning).Google Scholar
57 Ibid., §1.Google Scholar
58 Ibid., §20.Google Scholar
59 1998:204 (Personuppgiftlagen).Google Scholar