The minister is responsible for policies related to combating terrorism, democracy and human rights, family law, the judicial system and the Constitution of Sweden.

The current Minister for Justice is Gunnar Strömmer of the Moderate Party.

The office was instituted in 1809 as a result of the constitutional Instrument of Government promulgated in the same year.

Until 1840, the Prime Minister for Justice also served as a member of the Supreme Court.

Before 1876 the Prime Minister for Justice had in practice been granted exclusively to members of the most prominent noble families.