Land consolidation courts deal with cases where the relationship between holders of grazing rights needs be regulated, but also where the rights holders are competing with other potential land uses, such as building holiday cabins, forestry, hunting, etc.

In most countries, land consolidation was first introduced in rural areas, with legislation suitable for urban areas being drafted at a later date. This is also true of Norway. The first evidence of urban competency in the legislation is found in the Land Consolidation Act from 1950.