Appeals from town and district court judgments lie to the Overrettene (Superior Courts) of which there are three (in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim), provided the action involves a sum not exceeding 5000 Kroner. Such appeals are determined by three legally qualified judges, the procedure being in written form. Appeals in respect of more im- portant cases lie to the Supreme Court in Oslo, which may also permit superior court judgments to be brought before it. The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeal. Appeals are determined by seven judges after the case has been prepared in written form and in some instances after oral procedure. Criminal cases are first dealt with by the town or district court as an Examining Court (Forhgrs- rett). This court can decide all cases in which the defendant pleads guilty, and in which the penalty cannot exceed ten years’ imprisonment. The town and district courts act as a criminal court in all offences and all crimes for which the penalty cannot exceed five years, also in all cases of embezzlement, fraud, and larceny. For minor offences the judge sits alone, and in other cases he sits with two lay judges empanelled by the lay-judge committee. Crimes for which the penalty exceeds five years, and jown and district court judgments against which an appeal is made in respect of the question of guilt, are dealt with by the Lag- mannsrett (of which there are four: Oslo, Borgar- 28