In December, Supreme Court judge Jens Edvin Andreassen Skoghøy went public and claimed to have been poisoned by his former spouse, Natalia Skoghøy, but she has rejected the allegations. The police later dropped the case. The case attracted great public interest, and Supreme Court Justice Toril M. Øie referred to this as “a demanding case for Norway’s Supreme Court”. That is why the Supreme Court brought in author and communications adviser Svein Tore Bergestuen, who was previously a political adviser to Hadia Tajik. Communications advisor Svein Tore Bergestuen runs the communications company Sannum og Bergestuen together with Eva Sannum. Previously, he was an adviser to Hadia Tajik. Photo: Tobias Myklebust According to invoices that news has seen, this was a very expensive affair for the Supreme Court. 16.5 hours in December cost them NOK 66,000, while 10.5 hours in January they were billed NOK 42,000 for. 27 hours of communication assistance thus cost them NOK 108,000 including VAT. This corresponds to an hourly wage of NOK 3,200, without VAT. Information manager at the Supreme Court, Ida Dahl Nilssen. Photo: Kripos Ida Dahl Nilssen, who is head of information at the Supreme Court, confirms that she was relieved around Christmas and New Year by Svein Tore Bergestuen. This is due to heavy media pressure and many communication tasks. – The Supreme Court is a small organization and on a day-to-day basis not equipped for the amount of inquiries and issues we had to decide on around Christmas and New Year. From mid-January, we have so far assessed that we can manage without this extra workforce, she says to news. – Krevende Nilssen points out that news’s inquiry about the PR help is also demanding for her as the only communications employee at the Supreme Court. She points out that news’s three journalists have sent 11 questions and a request for access in a short time, while she is alone at work. – It illustrates well why you sometimes – in more hectic periods – need to bring in extra help. It is about the capacity to assess and handle all the tasks before you, both media inquiries and other issues outside of that. SMS exchange: – Can’t shield him anymore In the period around Christmas, Dahl Nilssen responded to a number of media inquiries. She repeatedly points out that the Supreme Court cannot comment on Skoghøy’s private life. Answer from Ida Dahl Nilssen about Skoghøy in the pre-Christmas period – This concerns personal information that Skoghøy himself, to the extent he wishes, is the right person to comment on, Nilssen told VG on 8 December 2022. – The Supreme Court is the employer in this situation. This case is about Skoghøy’s private life, Nilssen wrote to Dagbladet on 13 December 2022. – I cannot give any assessment of the case. This is information that concerns his private life and not his work as a judge. Then it is very difficult for the Supreme Court to say anything about the case, but it is obvious to everyone, regardless, that this is a very sad case, Nilssen told Nordlys on 13 December 2022. In an SMS exchange at the end of the pre-Christmas period that Nordlys have been given access to, information manager Dahl Nilssen and director of the Supreme Court Bente Kraugerud discuss the communication strategy further. 21 December 16:44S (Siri Forren (court administration): Siri Forren (court administration) Hi Bente! I tried to call you about taking care of judges in a demanding situation. It would be nice if you call me back when you get the chance. C/o Siri Forren, DA21 . December 19.08Bente Kraugerud (Director):Bente Kraugerud (Director) Hello again, Siri. Checked with Ida. What we need is simply the capacity to receive press inquiries, respond, keep an overview, and follow what is happening out there, and we need it quickly. We want the need through the Christmas weekend (the matter is unlikely to take a break more than Christmas Eve). I would ideally like to have the person here, but there is probably a lot that can be arranged via feather work. If there is a topic: The Supreme Court of course takes a salary. Yngve can contact Ida directly about this. Vh Bente23 December 16.18Ida Dahl Nilssen (Information Manager): Ida Dahl Nilssen (Information Manager) Hello! Our reply to VG has now been sent to you. We still sent it to VG now because Skoghøy suddenly chose to ag er and deal with the matter nonetheless. Then we can no longer shield him. This also means that you can of course answer. We tell VG that today we have sent an inquiry to the Supervisory Committee for Judges. 23 December 22:09Y (Yngve Brox (court administration): Yngve Brox (court administration) Thank you for the message. This is and will be the strangest case I have come across. Thank you for the nice greeting – I wish you a Merry Christmas. I hope you actually get some peace and quiet. Then the Supreme Court changes its strategy. On 27 December it emerges that Justice Toril Øie, just before Christmas, has asked the Supervisory Committee for Judges to assess whether Jens Skoghøy has breached the ethical regulations following the accusations against the wife. Still, the Supreme Court remains very reticent to comment on the case. Answer from Ida Dahl Nilssen about Skoghøy in the period after Christmas – The public’s view of a judge should not shake his or her independence. At the same time, it is very important that the Supreme Court has a high level of trust. This is the reason why the judge sent an inquiry to the Supervisory Committee before Christmas, Nilssen wrote to Dagbladet on 29 December 2022. – It is it is not right for us as an employer to comment on what concerns health information here, writes Nilssen to Aftenposten on 3 January 2023. Nilssen also informs that Skoghøy will extend the study leave he has had since the autumn until mid-January. – The final date has not been agreed yet, but basically the leave is until around mid-January, Nilssen told Dagbladet on 3 January 2023. The answers were sent in the same period that Bergestuen was hired as a consultant. Nor is Svein Tore Bergestuen personally quoted in any of the cases written by the Norwegian media about Skoghøy in the period. Believes it is the only thing responsible Svein Tore Bergestuen cannot himself comment on concrete details about the work with the Supreme Court. — We are open about all customers. It is then up to the client, and the Supreme Court in this case, to provide the information they believe is necessary. We have thus assisted the Supreme Court during a period that was abnormally busy and demanding, for which the Supreme Court is not designed, says Bergestuen to news. He believes the only responsible thing is to hire help in such cases. – I hope other public institutions are as professional as the Supreme Court and seek assistance if they do not have the capacity or expertise to handle extraordinary situations. Whether it concerns communication, HR or law. Does not accept liability for damages On Wednesday this week, Skoghøy received a longer notice of proceedings as to whether he accepts liability for damages for what he has done to his estranged wife. Supreme Court judge Jens E. Skoghøy rejects the claims brought forward by his estranged wife, and says that he does not accept responsibility for damages. – Would you do it? Of course not, he says to news. Skoghøy is currently on study leave from his job as a Supreme Court judge. He does not want to go into the reason for this. Skoghøy was initially on leave from October to mid-January, before he was reported sick until 5 February. He has now been granted a new study leave until Easter
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The Supreme Court spent 108,000 on extra PR help with the Skoghøy case – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
