Bill would let Landsréttur remain in Kópavogur

Landsréttur would not have to move from its premises in Kópavogur at the end of the year if a bill submitted by the justice minister is passed, mbl.is reports.

The court began operating in 2018 and is currently based at Vesturvör in Kópavogur. Court legislation requires it to be located in Reykjavík, but a temporary provision has allowed it to remain in Kópavogur. That provision was initially in force until the end of 2021 and was later extended through 2026.

The bill from Justice Minister Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir would remove the requirement that Landsréttur be based in Reykjavík. The state owns the court’s current premises, which the bill says are well suited to its work. The minister sees no reason to move the court to another building.

If Landsréttur does leave Vesturvör, the bill says it should remain in the capital region. The location is considered desirable because it is close to the country’s largest district courts, the Supreme Court, the state prosecutor, the district prosecutor and the police.

The bill also proposes two other changes to court legislation. Judges over the age of 70 would be allowed to serve at district courts, as is already permitted at Landsréttur and the Supreme Court. It would also allow a person to be appointed twice as a full member of the Court of Reopening, for five years each time. Current law permits only one such appointment; the proposed change is intended to support continuity in the court’s work.