was a modern-style court of justice introduced in Denmark, specifically for

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, by

Johann Friedrich Struensee Count, Lensgreve Johann Friedrich Struensee (5 August 1737 – 28 April 1772) was a German-Danish physician, philosopher and statesman. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish gov ...

in 1771. In 1805, it was merged with the new for Eastern Denmark as . It was replaced by the Københavns Byret and

Østre Landsret The Østre Landsret (Eastern High Court), established in 1919, is one of Denmark's two High Courts, along with the Vestre Landsret (Western High Court). Both High Courts function as a civil and criminal appellate court for cases from the subordina ...

in 1919.

History

Instigated by Struensee and the in Copenhagen, Ulrik Adolf Holstein (1731–1789), was created in an attempt to rationalize the chaotic Danish court system. It was formally established by royal charter of 15 June 1771. Henrik Stampe was active in its practical implementation. It replaced '','' (aka )'','' '','' '','' and '' Tamperretten''. In 1805, Denmark's four existing in

Ringsted Ringsted is a city located centrally in the Danish island of Zealand. It is the seat of a municipality of the same name. Ringsted is situated approximately from Copenhagen. History Ringsted was the site of ''Sjællands Landsting'' (lit. ''Z ...

Maribo Maribo is a town in Lolland Municipality in Region Zealand, Region Sjælland on the island of Lolland in south Denmark. It was the municipal seat of the former Maribo Municipality, until 1 January 2007, and then it became the seat of the cur ...

Odense Odense ( , , ) is the third largest city in Denmark (after Copenhagen and Aarhus) and the largest city on the island of Funen. As of 1 January 2025, the city proper had a population of 185,480 while Odense Municipality had a population of 210, ...

and Viborg were replaced by two ''. ''One of them was placed in Viborg and the other one was associated with , which was from then on known as ''.'' With the adoption of in 1919, it was replaced by and .''''

Location

The initial plan was for to be based in

Copenhagen City Hall Copenhagen City Hall () is the headquarters of the Copenhagen City Council as well as the Lord mayor of the Copenhagen Municipality, Denmark. The building is situated on City Hall Square in central Copenhagen. Architecture The current building ...

. When it proved impossible to find the necessary space, was instead referred to rented premises in the Plessen Mansion. In 1774, after these premises had also proven too small, a building was acquired on Østergade. In 1816, relocated to the new

City Hall In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or municipal hall (in the Philippines) is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses the city o ...

Nytorv Nytorv ( English: New Square or New Market) is a public square in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. Together with the adjoining Gammeltorv it forms a common space, today part of the Strøget pedestrian zone. The square is dominated by the impo ...

Organization

introduced new principles to the Danish court system, especially by being divided into separate investigative and judicial departments. Each of the judicial divisions had five judges on a fixed salary, who were banned from holding other administrative offices.

People

The key people associated with are listed below.

Presidents

* (1771–1781) Frederik Horn * (1771–1788)

Anker Andreas Suhm Anker may refer to: People *Anker (name), people with the given name or surname *Anker (noble family) Places *River Anker, in Warwickshire, England *Anker Site, an archaeological site in Illinois, US Companies and brands * Anker (automobile), ...

* (1788–1789) Oluf Lundt Bang * (1789–1798) Enevold Berregaard Fogh * (1798–1805) Carl Vigand Falbe

Secretaries

* (1771–1785) Frederik Christian Mahling * (1785–1803) Frederik Horn * (1804–1805) Christian Frederik Bang

Judges

* (1771–1781) Anker Andreas Suhm * (1771–1788) Truels Ortved * (1771–1788) Enevold Berregård Liigge * (1771–1789) Enevold Berregaard Fogh * (1771–1797) Carl Vigand Falbe * (1771–1805) Hans Heger * (1771–1772) Christian Frederik Jacobi * (1771–1805) Nicolai Stabel * (1771–1773) Johan Bartholin Eichel * (1771–1772) Hans Jacob Hiort * (1771–1772) Knud Holtermann * (1771–1775)

Ole Christopher Wessel Ole Christopher Wessel (12 January 1744 – 26 December 1794) was a Norwegian jurist, civil servant and landowner. He lived in Denmark-Norway. He was born in Vestby in Akershus as the son of parish priest Jonas Wessel (1707-1785) and Helen ...

* (1772–1797) Herman Andreas Pitzler * (1772–1773) Christen Schow * (1772–1778) Ole Pedersen Rested * (1772–1774) Peter Guldencrone * (1773–1781) Jørgen Christopher Drewsen * (1773–1801) Andreas Bang * (1775–1778) Mads Fridsch * (1777–1782) Friedrich Gottlieb Sporon * (1778–1782) Peter Feddersen * (1778–1781) Jacob Henric Schou * (1780–1796) Ole Thestrup * (1779–1805) Frederik Didrik Sechmann Fleischer * (1781–1785) Georg Linde * (1782–1805) Jacob Stendrup * (1782–1805) Ditlev Frederik Feddersen * (1772–1778) Peter Christian Zeuthen * (1782–1805) Andreas Bjørn Rothe * (1783–1800) Poul Frederik Beckmann * (1788–1793) Anker Vilhelm Frederik Bornemann * (1777–1805) Peter Wedege * (1777–1805) Johan Henrik Barens * (1790–1801) Jens Schifter * (1790–1802) Frederik Winkel-Horn * (1790–1796) Adam Gottlob Muller * (1790–1797) Jørgen Lottrup Schydtz * (1790–1801) Christian Rafn * (1783–1797) Peter Collet * (1784–1791) Hans Hagerup Falbe * (1794–1805) Christian Henrik Carstens * (1794–1801) Peter Christian Bagger * (1795–1802) Bredo Henrik v.Munthe af Morgenstierne * (1800–1805) Casper Friedrich Lassen * (1801–1805) Jens Kras Høst * (1801–1805)

Anders Sandøe Ørsted Anders Sandøe Ørsted (21 December 1778 – 1 May 1860) was a Danish lawyer, politician and jurist. He served as the Prime Minister of Denmark in 1853–1854. Biography He studied philosophy and law at the University of Copenhagen and was ...

* (1802–1804) Peter Bangert * (1802–1805) Poul Abraham Dall * (1803–1805) Hans Casper Jacobsen * (1804–1805) Herman Gerhard Treschow

References

{{reflist 18th century in Danish law 19th century in Danish law 1771 establishments in Denmark 1919 disestablishments in Denmark