[1] The institution of the Chancellor of Justice was originally established by the 1938 Constitution but ceased to operate in Estonia during the Soviet era.

Since the office was re-established in 1993, the Chancellor of Justice has made several hundred requests for bringing various legislative acts into conformity with the Constitution.

If a correction is not made, the Chancellor will make a referral to the Supreme Court to declare the act or some of its provisions void.

[4] The institution, which already had the function of inspecting places of detention, has served since 2007 as Estonia's national preventive mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.

In that role the Chancellor of Justice monitors whether state agencies or officials comply with people's fundamental rights and freedoms and with the principles of good governance, and addresses complaints of maladministration.