lagrettemann

[Gordon Anderson]

Hello to all
A few of my distant ancestors in the Hvaler area near Fredrikstad, Norway
worked (or served) as a lagrettemann at some point in their life. My
dictionary tells me that a lagrettemann was a court member. Can anyone tell
me what a lagrettemann actually did? Was he a clerk in the court,or did he
serve as a member of a jury, or could the word mean a number of different
tasks? Thanks for your assistance.
Gordon Anderson

[Stein R]

"Gordon Anderson" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

Hello to all
A few of my distant ancestors in the Hvaler area near Fredrikstad,
Norway worked (or served) as a lagrettemann at some point in their
life. My dictionary tells me that a lagrettemann was a court member.
Can anyone tell me what a lagrettemann actually did?

Depends on what period you are talking about.

Basically, not getting to deep into the details, you could think
of him as a a regional (and later local) lay judge respected for
his many years of experience in interpreting the finer points of
the law, and usually also a man of good local social standing.

Someone the neighbours (who would normally judge their peers
by applying common sense in a gathering of local free men) could
turn to for advice about how the laws should be interpreted,
as well as being someone who would also represent the national
government's (ie the King's) legal interests at the local level.

Was he a clerk in the court,or did he serve as a member of a
jury, or could the word mean a number of different tasks?
Thanks for your assistance.
Gordon Anderson

A short explanation of the history of the Norwegian court system,
in Norwegian - haven't got the time to translate or do a thorough
summary of how the job varied through the times, but perhaps some-
one else can help you with a translation or a summary in English ?

http://odin.dep.no/jd/norsk/dok/andre_d ... 19/hov003-
bn.html

Smile,
Stein

[Ja]

Tue, 3 Jan 2006 14:35:58 -0500, "Gordon Anderson"
<[email protected]>; <[email protected]>;
<soc.genealogy.nordic>:

A few of my distant ancestors in the Hvaler area near Fredrikstad, Norway
worked (or served) as a lagrettemann at some point in their life. My
dictionary tells me that a lagrettemann was a court member. Can anyone tell
me what a lagrettemann actually did?

Today (and probably even earlier), a "lagrettemann" is a member of the
jury, ie. a lay member of the court.
Today, each municipality appoints a number of inhabitants to serve as
lagrettemann; the appointment is done for 4 years (and often renewed for
4 more years).

--
Greetings;
Jan, Hvaler, Norway