Legal protection

The Ministry of Justice drafts the provisions which aim to ensure fair trials and good governance. The Ministry also prepares the laws relating to enforcement, bankruptcy and debt adjustment.

The independent courts are responsible for the actual realisation of legal protection. Other judicial authorities are the prosecutors and the enforcement authorities. Also legal aid has an important role in the realisation of legal protection.

The Ministry of Justice contributes to maintaining and developing the activities of the courts and other judicial authorities. The Ministry supports the central agencies operating within its administrative branch in their duties. The Ministry is responsible for ensuring that the courts and legal aid offices are able to safeguard legal protection in accordance with Finnish law and international treaties binding on Finland. In practice, this means ensuring that they have adequate service capacity and that the costs payable by the parties and the processing times are reasonable.

In relation to improving the position of crime victims, special emphasis is given to the needs of the victim in the legal process and in the support services.