---
language:
- fi
- sv
pretty_name: Senate Department of Justice records from Finland
size_categories:
- 10K<n<100K
---

# Senate Department of Justice records from Finland

## Dataset summary

The dataset contains a collection of documents produced by the Senate Department of Justice from the period 1900-1918.  The text content of the court records has been extracted using a HTR model trained with Finnish court record data.

The Senate Department of Justice served as Finland's highest court during the period of Finnish autonomy (1809—1918).
 
The highest judicial power in Finland was exercised by the king during Swedish rule, and from 1789 by the Supreme Court of the King of Sweden. After Finland joined Russia following the Finnish war, the supreme judicial power was transferred to the Senate Department of Justice. It exercised the highest judicial power in Finland throughout the period of autonomy, except for some cases that were decided by the emperor. When Finland became independent, the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court replaced the Senate Department of Justice.
 
The most important material in the archive are documents about cases investigated by the department. The files are divided into three parts in the archive:
 
- Petition and appeal cases. Civil, criminal and official impeachment cases and petitions for mercy by death row inmates.
- Disputes arising from appeal rights.
- Land division issues. Disputes and appeals concerning real estate arising from land distribution rights.

Additional information on the Senate Department of Justice records is available (in Finnish and Swedish) [here](https://portti.kansallisarkisto.fi/fi/aineisto-oppaat/senaatin-oikeusosasto).

## Dataset structure

### Data Instances 

In addition to the text content, each data instance contains an id (string) for the document and the archival unit that it belongs to. 

```
{'archival_id': '462939065',
 'document_id': '462939065_0011',
 'text': 'ins konkurs.\nKorhonen Johan, Bonde, revisima\nsökande i ett mål äng. fors\nKorho\nKorho\ndran.\nnen Aron, Bonde, revisions\nsökande i ett mål ang för¬\nklarande af afhandling\nför ogiltig.\nnen, Anders Gustaf, Landt¬\nhandlare, revisionsökande\nett mål äng häfvande af\nkontrakt."\nKorkee\nla, se Penttilä.\nKoskin\nKotka\nen se Leppäkoski. _\nSamuel, Målaremästare,\nse Mannström.\nKarl Johan, Adetskarl, re¬\nvisionssökande i ett mål\nang klander af testamen.\nte.\nAmanda Gustava, se föreg¬\nberg Viktor Emil, Landtbru¬\nKröger\nkare, revisionosökande\ni ett mål äng fordran.\nHeinrich, Handlande, re¬\nvisionssökande i ett mål\n235.\n177\n208.\n527.\n567.\n150\n402.\n780.\n780\n576.\nKrögers\nKukko\nang. fordran.\nkonkurs.\nren Albert, Bonde, revisions\nsökande i ett mål ang for¬\ndran.\nUro, Kollegiiassessor,\nravisionssökande i ett mål¬\nang. bättre rätt till särskild\negendom.\njoki Karl, Torpare, revisiona¬\nsökande i ett mål äng klan¬\nder af boskifte.\nMatilda Wilhelmina och\nföreg.\nHeikki, Bonde, se Ilmala\ninen Lauri, Handlande\nravisionssökande i ett\nmål äng eganderätt\ntill fast egendom.\neller Penttilä, Matts, Bon¬\nde se Saurosela.\nSofia, se föreg¬\nHelga, Bondeenka, u\nKarhu.\n135.\n183.\n535.\n82.\n174\n253.\n253.\n367.\n147.\n583.\n587.\n„ 150.\nKurtén\nKuusis¬\nKälkkä\nKärkkäs\nKäyrä\nKääpi,\n'}
```

### Data fields

- archival_id: a string identifying the archival unit that contains the document
- document_id: a string identifying the document (unique for each instance)
- text: text content of the document page / pages extracted using a HTR model