insignia of independence – martin sunnqvist 379 supremum iudicium, the supreme court, in a way that is similar to the iconography of these other courts. On the other hand, it got its own coat-ofarms, which showed that it was not at the same level as the King. The history of the seals of the Svea Court of Appeal represent its history as a King’s Supreme Court, save for judgements by the King in person. In relation to similar courts in the English-, German- and French-speaking areas of Europe, the seal of the Svea Court of Appeal is iconographically less attached to the royal jurisdiction. The actual position was, however, about the same. The seal also marks distance in relation to the High Council of ErikXIV. The clear subordination in relation to the King’s personal judging is also a sign of independence. The symbolic subordination which lies in the fact that the court did not use the royal coat-of-arms corresponds to the symbolic independence which is shown by the court having a coat-of-arms of its own. In 1789, the judgements of the King in council were eventually transferred to the Supreme Court.1141 But the King kept his right to two votes in the Supreme Court until 1909, and the judgements of the Supreme Court were given in the name of the King and under the royal seal until 1975. The Svea Court of Appeal has always used its own coat-of-arms in its seal, thus maintaining its unique visual identity. Apart from the coatof-arms of the King and the state, the coat-of-arms of the Svea Court of Appeal is the oldest symbol of a state authority in continuous use. The coat-of-arms thus represents continuity in the administration of justice. The change in the pair of scales in 1818, which is the only iconographically important change made, represents the shift fromsuum cuique to equality before the law. If one single alteration should have been made between 1614 and 2014, it should have been this. The shift from the society of the four estates and their different given duties in society to the society of equality before the law is one of the most important changes for the law and for the courts in this era. 1141 For ceremonial purposes, the president of the Svea Court of Appeal is still the highestranking judge in the kingdom. Conclusion
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