THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

The judicial system in Greenland consists until 31 December 2009 of 18 courts and the High Court of Greenland.

The rulings of the courts are made by a district judge in civil cases and in criminal cases by a district judge and two lay assessors.

Statistics for 2009 are calculated in the same way as before with the exception that subsidiary cases are no longer counted separately.

As of 1 January 2010 the Greenlandic administration of justice is changed in important ways; the Court of Greenland was among other things established. The statistics for 2010 onwards will be calculated for the district courts, the Court of Greenland, and the High Court of Greenland.

At the same time, injunction cases are as of 1 January 2010 delegated to district courts; these cases will figure as a new type of case in future statistics.

The courts of Greenland consist of the High Court of Greenland and 18 district courts. Rulings by district courts are made by a district judge and two lay assessors. The district court treats all civil and criminal cases. The High Court of Greenland may in some cases take over the treatment of a case if it is deemed to require specific legal or other special insight. The High Court of Greenland is the instance of appeal with regard to the rulings by the district courts. Larger cases are brought directly before the High Court of Greenland. There is a possibility of appeal to the High Court in Copenhagen, Østre Landsret.

 

Overview 1

Police Staff in Greenland

 

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Police staff, total

129

133

133

139

152

170

161

Permanent staff on the force

99

104

96

108

101

114

115

- Natives

78

81

75

84

71

74

87

- Others

21

23

21

24

30

40

28

Police trainees

18

17

23

17

30

33

29

On leave, under external education or participation in international service

12

12

14

14

21

23

17

Other staff

149

164

160

167

167

161

153

Reserve officers

47

50

47

48

44

46

48

Municipal bailiffs and assistants

46

57

55

61

64

56

49

Legal staff

6

7

7

8

8

8

7

Clerical staff

29

29

30

29

30

30

28

- Natives

28

26

27

25

27

28

25

- Others

1

3

3

4

3

2

3

Cutter crew

21

21

21

21

21

21

21

Source: Chief of Police in Greenland

 

Overview 2

Convicts in Institutions

 

2008

2009

 

Imprisoned

Men

Women

Awaiting  imprisonment 

Imprisoned

Men

Women

Awaiting imprisonment

 

Days

 

Days

 

January

3.777

3.321

456

118

4.224

3.539

685

150

February

3.422

3.192

230

111

3.816

3.198

618

162

March

3.879

3.429

450

102

4.434

3.709

725

170

April

3.722

3.345

377

95

4.279

3.608

671

190

May

3.862

3.590

272

76

4.287

3.679

608

210

June

3.989

3.165

824

80

4.118

3.505

613

218

July

4.116

3.309

807

91

4.126

3.547

579

228

August

4.009

3.608

401

108

3.996

3.499

497

251

September

3.952

3.092

860

111

3.787

3.324

463

260

October

4.133

3.692

441

125

4.684

3.976

708

245

November

3.912

3.422

490

139

5.103

4.403

700

265

December

4.134

3.532

602

142

5.396

4.670

726

260

Days imprisoned

46.907

40.697

6.210

1.298

52.250

44.657

7.593

2.609

Average number of imprisoned and waiting persons

128,5

111,4

17,0

108,0

143,2

122,3

20.8

217,4

Source: Chief of Police in Greenland

 

Overview 3

Cases Received by the Greenlandic Courts, Concessions and Prescribed Staffing

 

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

 

Number

Number of cases, total

7.253

8.094

8.018

7.965

9.691

8.156

7.122

9.294

7.543

7.288

…

…

6.144

Staff, total

47

44

53

53

48

…

51

51

51

51

…

…

64

 Natives

32

33

38

38

35

….

36

38

40

40

…

…

52

 Others

15

11

15

15

13

…

15

13

11

11

…

…

12

 

DKK million

Concession

27,0

30,1

28,4

28,4

28,4

31,0

30,0

30,2

32,4

34,4

…

…

46,7

Note: The number of natives and others was calculated as per 31 December.

Source: The High Court of Greenland

 

Figure 1

Convicted persons in Proportion to the Population over the Age of Criminal Responsibility

Source: Statistics Greenland

 

Figure 2

Frequent Violations

Source: Statistics Greenland

 

Overview 4

Example of a Person Whose Case Concerns Several Laws, Clauses, and Forms of Sentence

Criminal law

Police regulation

Road traffic act

Special legislation

Sexual crime

Drunk driving

Import tax legislation

Violence

Drunk driving

Fire and building regulations

Economic crime

Road traffic act, other

Narcotics legislation

Other crimes

 

Fishing and conservation laws

 

 

 

Fishing and conservation laws

Source: Statistics Greenland

 

Overview 5

Persons, Cases, and Counts Leading to a Ruling

 

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Persons

1.870

1.921

2.138

2.079

1.950

1.761

2.126

1.922

1.989

2.053

2.021

1.744

Cases

2.157

2.164

2.477

2.445

2.208

2.042

2.480

2.276

2.250

2.404

2.351

1.996

Counts

3.882

3.305

4.093

4.178

3.818

2.952

4.101

3.667

3.723

3.746

3.953

3.102

Cases per person

1,2

1,1

1,2

1,2

1,1

1,2

1,2

1,2

1,2

1,2

1,2

1,1

Counts per person

2,1

1,7

1,9

2,0

2,0

1,7

1,9

1,9

1,9

1,8

2,0

1,8

Source: Statistics Greenland

 

Links

Read more about the judicial system of Greenland at www.domstol.dk/Gronland