Sten Rudholm
Encyclopedia
Sten John Gustaf Rudholm (27 April 1918 - 29 November 2008) was a Swedish
lawyer, member of the Swedish Academy
(Chair No.1), former Chancellor of Justice
, Chief Justice of Appeal and Marshal of the Realm
. Rudholm was prior to his death the only living Swedish non-royal to have been made Knight of the Order of the Seraphim
the foremost order of Sweden.
. He graduated in law in 1942 in Stockholm
. His career in the judiciary was largely associated with the Svea Court of Appeal
in Stockholm. After training as a judicial registrar and qualifying service as a public prosecutor, he was appointed public prosecutor
in 1945 – a natural career to judgeship.
.
s for presentation to the Riksdag
. Meanwhile, in 1959–1963, he served as a judicial expert for the Constitutional Commission. The commission had been set up in 1954 and was chaired by former prime minister
Rickard Sandler
, to conduct an overall review of the Swedish constitution
. After nine years, in 1963, the Commission submitted its first proposal for a new constitution. In an initiated article, Rudholm and the constitutional lawyer Nils Stjernquist, describe the Commission's political and judicial complications. The article gives a picture of Sten Rudholm as a skilled writer, which can be divided into two: the writer of legal text, with a considerable volume of diverse and more or less anonymous texts in e.g. penal law
and public law
, and the free writer, which emerges above all during his years as journal editor.
After his time as head of the legal section at the Department of Justice and in parallel with his new appointment as Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekansler
), Rudholm became the Editor of the Swedish Law Journal (Svensk Juristtidning). Rudholm kept up the editorial work during the whole of his period as Chancellor of Justice in 1962–1967, and until he became President of Svea Court of Appeal, a position he then held for almost seventeen years, until 1983. On reaching retirement age, Rudholm was honoured with the prestigious office of Marshal of the Realm, the principal administratior of the Swedish Royal Court
. He gave up the office of Marshal of the Realm in 1986.
in 1977–1986. His quarter of a century in the Academy offers many examples of his clear style as a free writer, predominantly in public speaking, while his inaugural address on his predecessor justice Sture Petrén witnesses to his care for the language.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
lawyer, member of the Swedish Academy
Swedish Academy
The Swedish Academy , founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden.-History:The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 by King Gustav III. Modelled after the Académie française, it has 18 members. The motto of the Academy is "Talent and Taste"...
(Chair No.1), former Chancellor of Justice
Chancellor of Justice
In some countries, the Chancellor of Justice is a government official responsible for supervising the lawfulness of government actions. The Chancellor does not have the power to strike down laws In some countries, the Chancellor of Justice is a government official responsible for supervising the...
, Chief Justice of Appeal and Marshal of the Realm
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
. Rudholm was prior to his death the only living Swedish non-royal to have been made Knight of the Order of the Seraphim
Order of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star...
the foremost order of Sweden.
Early life
Sten Rudholm was born in 1918 at KarlstadKarlstad
Karlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
. He graduated in law in 1942 in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. His career in the judiciary was largely associated with the Svea Court of Appeal
Svea Court of Appeal
The Svea Court of Appeal , located in Stockholm, is one of six appellate courts in the Swedish legal system. It was founded in 1614 and was the highest court in Sweden until 1789, when the Supreme Court of Sweden was established....
in Stockholm. After training as a judicial registrar and qualifying service as a public prosecutor, he was appointed public prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
in 1945 – a natural career to judgeship.
Court service
Having co-authored Handbok för nämndemän (Handbook for jurors) in 1949, Rudholm became an appeal court judge in 1954 and a justice of appeal in 1961. He crowned his judicial career in 1967 with the position of President of the Svea Court of Appeal – by tradition and protocol the highest ranking position of the Swedish judiciary. Serving as President of the Court of Appeals, Rudholm was last non-royal Swedish citizen to be awarded the Order of the SeraphimOrder of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star...
.
Legal service
Rudholm's career as a judge came to overlap with duties as a public official in various appointments. In 1955–1961, Rudholm was the head of the legal section at the Ministry of Justice, drafting and scrutinising new billBill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
s for presentation to the Riksdag
Parliament of Sweden
The Riksdag is the national legislative assembly of Sweden. The riksdag is a unicameral assembly with 349 members , who are elected on a proportional basis to serve fixed terms of four years...
. Meanwhile, in 1959–1963, he served as a judicial expert for the Constitutional Commission. The commission had been set up in 1954 and was chaired by former prime minister
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
Rickard Sandler
Rickard Sandler
Rickard Johannes Sandler was a Swedish Social Democratic politician. He served asMinister without Portfolio in the Swedish government from 10 March 1920 to 30 June 1920, Minister for Finance from 1 July 1920 to 27 October 1920, Minister without Portfolio from 13 October 1921 to 19 April 1923,...
, to conduct an overall review of the Swedish constitution
Constitution of Sweden
The Swedish Constitution consists of four fundamental laws :* The 1810 Act of Succession * The 1949 Freedom of the Press Act * The 1974 Instrument of Government * The 1991 Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression...
. After nine years, in 1963, the Commission submitted its first proposal for a new constitution. In an initiated article, Rudholm and the constitutional lawyer Nils Stjernquist, describe the Commission's political and judicial complications. The article gives a picture of Sten Rudholm as a skilled writer, which can be divided into two: the writer of legal text, with a considerable volume of diverse and more or less anonymous texts in e.g. penal law
Penal law
In the most general sense, penal is the body of laws that are enforced by the State in its own name and impose penalties for their violation, as opposed to civil law that seeks to redress private wrongs...
and public law
Public law
Public law is a theory of law governing the relationship between individuals and the state. Under this theory, constitutional law, administrative law and criminal law are sub-divisions of public law...
, and the free writer, which emerges above all during his years as journal editor.
After his time as head of the legal section at the Department of Justice and in parallel with his new appointment as Chancellor of Justice (Justitiekansler
Chancellor of Justice
In some countries, the Chancellor of Justice is a government official responsible for supervising the lawfulness of government actions. The Chancellor does not have the power to strike down laws In some countries, the Chancellor of Justice is a government official responsible for supervising the...
), Rudholm became the Editor of the Swedish Law Journal (Svensk Juristtidning). Rudholm kept up the editorial work during the whole of his period as Chancellor of Justice in 1962–1967, and until he became President of Svea Court of Appeal, a position he then held for almost seventeen years, until 1983. On reaching retirement age, Rudholm was honoured with the prestigious office of Marshal of the Realm, the principal administratior of the Swedish Royal Court
Swedish Royal Family
The Swedish Royal Family since 1818 consists of a number of persons in the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. They are entitled to royal titles and style , and some perform official engagements and ceremonial duties of state...
. He gave up the office of Marshal of the Realm in 1986.
Swedish Academy
Rudholm was still appeal court president when elected to the Swedish Academy on 10 February 1977 and admitted on 20 December 1977. He succeeded late justice Sture Petrén to Chair No.1 - a seat that during the twentieth century by custom had come to be occupied by lawyers. Rudholm has been on the boards of a number of companies, associations and institutions, some of which lie within the Swedish Academy’s sphere of interest. He was e.g. chairman of the Swedish General Art Association in 1974–1983 and a member of the Swedish Language CouncilSwedish Language Council
The Swedish Language Council is the primary regulatory body for the advancement and cultivation of the Swedish language. The council is partially funded by the Swedish government and has semi-official status...
in 1977–1986. His quarter of a century in the Academy offers many examples of his clear style as a free writer, predominantly in public speaking, while his inaugural address on his predecessor justice Sture Petrén witnesses to his care for the language.