The highest former president of the court Olavi Heinonen died of a long illness in Helsinki on September 4, 2024. He was 85 years old, born in Kuopio on September 12, 1938.
Heinonen was born as the only child of journalist Eino Heinonen and salesman Aili Heinonen. From Kuopio, the family’s road took the father to Viipur, Lappeenranta, back to Kuopio and finally to Helsinki. During Olavi Heinonen’s school days, the years in Helsinki’s Ressu became particularly meaningful, where he made many lifelong friends and a basketball hobby that survived until the last few years.
Interest social issues had roots in his childhood home. Heinonen applied to study law in order to promote the values that are important to him: justice and the equality of people. After graduating, he got a position as an assistant in criminal and procedural law at the Faculty of Law in Turku in 1961.
As a strong supporter of equality, Heinonen had a decisive influence on the fact that the glass ceiling for female researchers in the faculty of Turku began to break. The dissertation on debtor’s bankruptcy crimes was completed at the University of Helsinki in 1966.
Republic President Urho Kekkonen appointed Heinonen as a member of the Supreme Court (KKO) in 1970. At only 32 years old, he became the youngest legal adviser of all time. In and outside the judiciary, he has been assessed to have performed his duties competently and impartially. In total, his working career at the Supreme Court lasted more than 30 years.
Before being elected president of KKO in 1989, Heinonen served as the parliament’s ombudsman from 1986 to 1989. During his presidency, he increased the transparency of KKO’s decisions by deepening and expanding their justifications. In 1993, he presided over the Supreme Court in the Kauko Juhantalo case.
The work of the KKO president was demanding and versatile, where the most important part for Heinonen always remained the duties of a judge. Until the end of his working career, his focus was on ordinary people and their opportunities to get justice. He retired in 2001.
His spouse Marjatan (née Rahikainen) Heinonen met at her summer job at a bank. The couple got married in 1962. They traveled together for more than 60 years, and their four children were born between 1963 and 1973.
The family’s own traditions, shared moments and trips were important to Olavi. The party program was always planned with the youngest members of the family in mind. Important pastimes were also spending summers at Heinävedi, sports in many forms and reading.
Olav’s last summer was spent playing bench sports and enjoying his beloved yard in Jollas. He took great joy in his nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Hannu Heinonen
Hanna Heinonen
Leena Kartio
Olavi Heinonen’s son, daughter and longtime friend.
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