The Prosecutor General is Sweden’s highest-ranking prosecutor and the only public prosecutor who is authorised to take a case to the Supreme Court. The Prosecutor General is also the head of the Swedish Prosecution Authority. Since 29 February 2024, the post of Prosecutor General has been held by Katarina Johansson Welin.
The Prosecutor General is the only public prosecutor to the Supreme Court
The Prosecutor General is Sweden’s highest-ranking prosecutor and the only public prosecutor to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the final instance in the Swedish courts and is mainly a court of precedent. By bringing relevant cases before the Supreme Court, the Prosecutor General contributes to obtaining rulings on the practical application of the law.
Each year, the Prosecutor General appeals a number of judgements by the courts of appeal to the Supreme Court. The number of judgements appealed varies from year to year, largely due to the restrictions on which cases are considered appropriate to be heard by the Supreme Court. Those convicted also have the opportunity to appeal against the court’s judgement. It is for the Supreme Court to decide in which cases it wishes to grant leave to appeal. In cases appealed by the defendant, the Prosecutor General generally gives an opinion in a letter of reply. The Swedish Prosecution Authority’s operations with regard to the Supreme Court are dealt with by the Legal Department, which is based at Head Office.
In rare instances, the Prosecutor General may decide on an individual case
The Prosecutor General is also the highest prosecutor in review cases. A review case means that a decision by a prosecutor is examined by a senior prosecutor. The Prosecutor General is the final review instance and will not normally take up a prosecutor’s decision for review if it has already been reviewed by a senior prosecutor.
Sweden has two prosecutorial authorities: the Swedish Prosecution Authority and the Swedish Economic Crime Authority. The Prosecutor General is also the highest-ranked prosecutor for the Swedish Economic Crime Authority.
