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From these beginnings evolved ''fogderier'' (legal circuits), which today are known as ''domsogn'' or ''sorenskriveri'' (probate courts). | From these beginnings evolved ''fogderier'' (legal circuits), which today are known as ''domsogn'' or ''sorenskriveri'' (probate courts). | ||
The administrative official in a ''len'' (county) in the earlier centuries was the ''lensherre''. Later an ''amtmann'' (county governor) was appointed by the king. His local functionary was the ''fogd'' or ''foged'' (bailiff), and the ''fogderi'' was his official district. The ''foged'' became the official who collected taxes and enforced the law (''politi og oppebørselsmann'). | The administrative official in a ''len'' (county) in the earlier centuries was the ''lensherre''. Later an ''amtmann'' (county governor) was appointed by the king. His local functionary was the ''fogd'' or ''foged'' (bailiff), and the ''fogderi'' was his official district. The ''foged'' became the official who collected taxes and enforced the law (''politi og oppebørselsmann''). | ||
In the later part of the 16th century the scribe (''sorenskriver'') in the office of the ''fogd'' was appointed to take care of the legal division of an inheritance, or the settlement of an estate, and he prepared the probate documents as a probate clerk. Norwegian law required that the death of a person be reported to the district official as soon as possible in order to seal the estate of the deceased. | In the later part of the 16th century the scribe (''sorenskriver'') in the office of the ''fogd'' was appointed to take care of the legal division of an inheritance, or the settlement of an estate, and he prepared the probate documents as a probate clerk. Norwegian law required that the death of a person be reported to the district official as soon as possible in order to seal the estate of the deceased. | ||
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