How to Litigate in Finland: A Comprehensive Guide

By Oscari Seppälä, Specialist Partner, LKOS Law Office · Last updated 24 September 2026

Civil litigation in Finland is governed by the Code of Judicial Procedure (Oikeudenkäymiskaari, 4/1734). This guide explains, step by step, how a civil or commercial dispute proceeds in the Finnish general courts – from the statement of claim in the District Court to the main hearing, the judgment and an appeal – and what the rules on evidence, legal costs and settlement mean for your strategy. It is written for business owners, in-house counsel and foreign companies facing a dispute in Finland.

1. Overview: How a Civil Case Proceeds in Finland

Civil cases are heard in the general courts: the District Court at first instance, the Court of Appeal on appeal and the Supreme Court as the court of precedent. At first instance, the proceedings are divided into two main stages – the preparatory stage and the main hearing – designed so that the case can be decided in one concentrated oral hearing.

2. The Preparatory Stage

The preparatory stage sets the foundation for the whole case. It consists of the exchange of written pleadings and, where needed, an oral preparatory hearing.

2.1 Filing the Statement of Claim

Proceedings begin when the plaintiff files a written application for a summons (haastehakemus), commonly called the statement of claim, with the competent District Court. Under Chapter 5, section 2 of the Code, it must set out:

• the plaintiff's specified claim, i.e. the precise relief sought;
• the facts on which the claim is based;
• as far as possible, the evidence the plaintiff intends to present and what each item is intended to prove;
• a claim for legal costs, if sought; and
• the basis of the court's jurisdiction, unless it is otherwise apparent from the application or its attachments.

The application must also state the parties, their counsel's contact details and an address for service. The court reviews it for completeness. If it is deficient, the plaintiff is ordered to supplement it; an application that remains too deficient to serve as a basis for the proceedings is dismissed without consideration, and a clearly unfounded claim is rejected by judgment (Chapter 5, section 6). Otherwise, the court issues a summons to the defendant.

In practice: the facts and evidence identified in the statement of claim frame the entire case. It is worth drafting it as if it were your only opportunity to present your position.

2.2 The Defendant's Response

The summons invites the defendant to submit a written response within a time limit set by the court (Chapter 5, section 11). The Code does not fix a standard period: the court determines it case by case, and it can be extended only for a special reason on a request made before it expires. Because the period is counted in weeks rather than months, a defendant should instruct counsel immediately upon service.

In the response, the defendant must:

• state whether the claim is admitted or contested;
• if contested, set out the grounds for the opposition;
• identify the evidence to be presented and what each item is intended to prove;
• present any claim for legal costs; and
• raise any objection that the court cannot examine the case, for example for lack of jurisdiction or because of an arbitration agreement.

2.3 Default Judgment and Reopening

If, in a case amenable to settlement – which includes practically all commercial disputes – the defendant fails to respond within the time limit, or responds without stating any grounds for opposing the claim, the case is decided without further preparation. The claim is then accepted by default judgment, even if the plaintiff has not requested one; a clearly unfounded claim is rejected (Chapter 5, section 13).

A default judgment is not necessarily the end of the matter. The party against whom it was given may apply for reopening (takaisinsaanti) in writing within 30 days of obtaining verified notice of the judgment, stating a reason for changing it that could have affected the outcome (Chapter 12, section 15).

2.4 Undisputed Claims: Summary Proceedings

Claims concerning a debt of a specified amount, the restoration of possession or a disrupted condition, or eviction can be filed as summary civil cases where the plaintiff considers the matter undisputed (Chapter 5, section 3). The statement of claim then only needs to state the facts on which the claim is directly based and identify the contract, commitment or other written evidence relied on. Uncontested debt claims are typically resolved quickly in this way by default judgment. If the defendant contests the claim on substantive grounds, the case continues as an ordinary civil case.

2.5 The Preparatory Hearing

Where the case is contested, the court continues the preparation in writing, at an oral preparatory hearing, or both. Preparation is conducted by a single judge (Chapter 2, section 5). Its purpose is to:

• establish the parties' claims and the grounds for them;
• identify which facts are disputed and which are not;
• determine what evidence will be presented and what each item is intended to prove; and
• explore the possibility of settlement.

The court prepares a written summary of the claims, grounds and evidence (Chapter 5, section 24). In cases amenable to settlement, the court must seek to bring the parties to an agreement and may propose a settlement itself (Chapter 5, section 26). A settlement reached in court can be confirmed by the court, which makes it enforceable like a judgment. The parties may also opt for court-annexed mediation under the Act on Mediation in Civil Matters and Confirmation of Settlements in General Courts (394/2011).

Preclusion. At the preparatory hearing, the parties may not read out or hand in written pleadings, although they may use notes (Chapter 5, section 15 c). Crucially, a party may not invoke at the main hearing a fact or an item of evidence that it did not rely on during preparation unless it shows a valid reason for the delay; new evidence may also be admitted if the parties consent (Chapter 6, section 9). The court may additionally set a deadline for completing a party's case under the threat of preclusion (Chapter 5, section 22). In practice, preparation is where cases are won or lost.

3. The Main Hearing and Judgment

If the case is not resolved during preparation, it proceeds to the main hearing.

3.1 Composition of the Court

The main hearing is usually conducted by a single judge – the judge who was responsible for the preparation – unless the nature or scope of the case requires a full panel of three legally trained judges (Chapter 2, sections 3 and 5). The court must give the parties an opportunity to comment on whether a full panel is needed. If a party considers it necessary, the case may be heard by a single judge only for a special reason. In a substantial commercial dispute, whether to request a three-judge panel is a strategic decision worth discussing with counsel.

3.2 Conduct of the Main Hearing

The main hearing is oral and concentrated: the case is decided on the basis of what is presented at the hearing, which should be completed in one continuous session wherever possible. The parties may not read out or submit written statements. They may, however, read out their claims and direct quotations from case law, legal literature and documents that would be difficult to understand if presented orally, and they may use notes (Chapter 6, section 3). A typical main hearing proceeds as follows:

1. the court summarises the case and the outcome of the preparation;
2. the parties give their opening statements;
3. documentary evidence is presented;
4. the parties and witnesses are heard – examination-in-chief, cross-examination and re-examination; witnesses must testify orally without relying on written statements (Chapter 17, section 47); and
5. the parties give their closing arguments and final claims for legal costs.

3.3 Judgment

The court deliberates immediately after the main hearing, or at the latest on the next working day, and then pronounces its judgment. In an extensive or complex case, the judgment may instead be delivered in the court registry within 14 days of the end of the main hearing, or as soon as possible thereafter if there is a special reason (Chapter 24, section 8).

The court may not award anything other than, or more than, what has been claimed, and in cases amenable to settlement it may not base its judgment on facts the parties have not invoked (Chapter 24, section 3). The court applies the law on its own motion. The judgment must be reasoned, stating the facts and the legal reasoning on which it is based and why disputed facts were or were not proven (Chapter 24, section 4).

4. Appeals

A party wishing to appeal against a District Court judgment must observe two strict deadlines:

1. Declaration of dissatisfaction (tyytymättömyyden ilmoitus) no later than the seventh day after the judgment was pronounced or delivered. Failure to declare dissatisfaction forfeits the right of appeal (Chapter 25, section 5).
2. Appeal filed with the District Court registry within 30 days of the judgment (Chapter 25, section 12).

The Court of Appeal examines the case on its merits only if it grants leave to continue (jatkokäsittelylupa), which is required whenever a District Court judgment is appealed (Chapter 25a, section 5). Leave must be granted, for example, where there is reason to doubt the correctness of the outcome, or where the correctness cannot be assessed without granting leave (Chapter 25a, section 11). A further appeal to the Supreme Court requires leave to appeal, which is granted mainly where a ruling is needed as a precedent (Chapter 30, section 3).

5. Legal Costs and Cost Risk

The main rule is that the losing party must compensate all of the opposing party's reasonable legal costs arising from necessary measures (Chapter 21, section 1). In a commercial dispute, a party that loses at trial may therefore have to pay both its own counsel and the opponent's – often the largest single financial exposure in a Finnish lawsuit.

• Where each party succeeds in part, each may be ordered to bear its own costs, unless there is a reason to order partial compensation (Chapter 21, section 3).
• The court must, on its own motion, reduce the costs payable if full liability would be unreasonable in view of the circumstances (Chapter 21, section 8 b).
• Check whether your business insurance includes legal expenses cover (oikeusturvavakuutus), which may cover part of your own costs.
• Reassess the cost risk at each stage – a settlement during preparation caps the exposure before the most expensive phase, the main hearing.

7. Representation, Language and Foreign Parties

Who can act as counsel. As a rule, only an advocate (a member of the Finnish Bar Association), a public legal aid attorney or a licensed legal counsel may act as counsel in Finnish courts. A company may also be represented by its own employee holding a master's degree in law. In summary cases and in the small claims procedure, other suitable persons may also act (Chapter 15, section 2).

Language. Proceedings are conducted in Finnish or Swedish. Foreign-language documents may need to be translated and foreign-language witnesses interpreted, and these costs should be included in the litigation budget.

Securing your claim. If there is a risk that the opposing party will dissipate its assets, you can apply for interim measures (turvaamistoimet), such as a precautionary attachment, before or during the proceedings (Chapter 7). Courts can also impose other interim orders; see, for example, our article on business restraining orders in Finland.

Court or arbitration? If your contract contains an arbitration clause, the dispute is generally resolved in arbitration rather than in the courts, and the defendant can object to the court's jurisdiction on that basis. See our companion guide, Arbitration in Finland: A Comprehensive Guide.

8. Practical Tips for Litigating in Finland

• Assess the case and the cost risk before filing: the loser-pays rule makes an early, realistic assessment essential.
• Secure evidence early: contracts, correspondence, internal documents and witnesses.
• Put your full case forward during preparation: facts and evidence introduced late are, as a rule, precluded.
• Diarise every deadline: the response deadline in the summons, the 7-day declaration of dissatisfaction and the 30-day appeal period.
• Keep settlement on the table: Finnish courts actively promote settlement, and court-annexed mediation is available.
• Engage qualified local counsel early: representation in Finnish courts is, as a rule, restricted to licensed lawyers.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first step in a civil lawsuit in Finland?

A civil case begins when the plaintiff files a written application for a summons, commonly called the statement of claim, with the competent District Court. It must set out the specified claim, the facts on which it is based, the evidence and what each item is intended to prove, any claim for legal costs, and the basis of the court's jurisdiction.

How long does the defendant have to respond to a summons in Finland?

The Code of Judicial Procedure does not fix a standard period. The court sets the deadline for the written response in the summons, and it can be extended only for a special reason on a request made before the deadline expires. A defendant should therefore instruct counsel immediately after service.

What happens if the defendant does not respond?

In a case amenable to settlement, such as a commercial dispute, the court decides the case without further preparation and accepts the claim by default judgment, unless the claim is clearly unfounded. The defendant may apply for reopening within 30 days of receiving verified notice of the default judgment.

Can new facts or evidence be introduced at the main hearing?

As a rule, no. A party may not rely at the main hearing on facts or evidence it did not invoke during preparation unless it shows a valid reason for the delay. New evidence may also be admitted if the parties consent. In practice, this makes the preparatory stage decisive.

How many judges hear a civil case in a Finnish District Court?

Preparation is handled by a single judge. The main hearing is usually conducted by the same judge alone unless the nature or scope of the case requires a panel of three legally trained judges. If a party considers a full panel necessary, the case may be heard by a single judge only for a special reason.

Who pays the legal costs in Finnish litigation?

As a rule, the losing party must compensate all of the winning party's reasonable legal costs arising from necessary measures. The court must reduce the amount if full liability would be unreasonable, and costs may be shared where each party wins in part. In the small claims procedure introduced in 2026, recoverable costs are capped at €500 or €1,000.

How do you appeal a District Court judgment in Finland?

A party must declare dissatisfaction within seven days of the judgment and file the appeal within 30 days. The Court of Appeal examines the case only if it grants leave to continue. A further appeal to the Supreme Court requires leave to appeal, which is granted mainly where a precedent is needed.

Do Finnish courts encourage settlement?

Yes. In cases amenable to settlement, the court must seek to bring the parties to an agreement and may propose a settlement itself. A settlement reached in court can be confirmed by the court, making it enforceable like a judgment. Court-annexed mediation is also available in the general courts.

Who can represent a company in a Finnish court?

As a rule, only an advocate, a public legal aid attorney or a licensed legal counsel may act as counsel in Finnish courts. A company may also be represented by its own employee who holds a master's degree in law. In summary and small claims cases, other suitable persons may also act.