Per Wickenberg

---

Norm Formation from the Inside of a Swedish Court

COURT RESEARCH IS a well-known field within classical Sociology of Law, and particularly within Scandinavian Sociology of Law. One of the main aims of this report is to highlight the type of court research that is being conducted, and has been conducted, within Sociology of Law as well as to present some of the empirical results that over time have emerged from research pilot projects on norm implementation and norm formation conducted at a court in southern Sweden during 2010-2011 and 2012, and followed up and continued during 2015-18. Furthermore, Sociology of Law has continued this important cooperation with courts in southern Sweden through internships for one semester and thesis writing by our Sociology of Law and Criminology students in studying and learning in Swedish courts.

The overarching aim of this Sociology of Law study is to explore internal processes at a court to get deeper knowledge of norms within this legal organisation. The point of departure is a specific research interest in studying professional norms on ‘good treatment’ in a local court. Another aim is to study the importance that the internal professional norms have on the external treatment of visitors and customers to the court. The research questions are exploring the internal professional norms on ‘good treatment’: From where or from whom are the expectations on a ‘good treatment’ in this court coming? Which are the driving forces behind ‘good treatment’?

Court research is a well-known field within classical Sociology of Law, and particularly within Scandinavian Sociology of Law. One of the main aims of this report is to highlight the type of court research that is being conducted, and has been conducted, within Sociology of Law as well as to present some of the empirical results that over time have emerged from research pilot projects on norm implementation and norm formation conducted at a court in southern Sweden during 2010-2011 and 2012, and followed up and continued during 2015-18. Furthermore, Sociology of Law has continued this important cooperation with courts in southern Sweden through internships for one semester and thesis writing by our Sociology of Law and Criminology students in studying and learning in Swedish courts.