Even if the bench is reduced because of a recusal, the requirement for five guilty votes remains.
Lay judges are members of the public without legal qualifications, who are appointed for periods of four years by the city and county councils.
These main things were Borgarting, Eidsivating, Gulating and Frostating, but many smaller ones existed, and courts could be raised in any, or even multiple things, creating a fog of legal doubt in cases of disagreements.
District courts were established transitionally from the old things to bygdeting, consisting of six or twelve lay judges (lagrettemenn) appointed by the king.
In 1539, with the removal of the Norwegian Riksråd, a system of herredag was introduced each ten, later three, years.
In addition, the two levels had non-compatible jurisdictions, creating confusion and an unnecessary complexity.
At the same time, the Eidsivating Court of Appeal was split in two, with Oppland, Hedmark and northern Akershus being administered from Hamar and taking the name, while the Oslo office took the new name Borgarting.