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75 years of the Federal Court of Justice: A look at legal diversity!
On November 5, 2025, the Federal Court of Justice will celebrate its 75th birthday and reflect on its historical significance and current challenges.
75 years of the Federal Court of Justice: A look at legal diversity!
Today, November 5, 2025, a very special anniversary is being celebrated: The Federal Court of Justice (BGH), the highest authority for civil and criminal law in Germany, can look back on 75 years of activity. Founded on October 1, 1950, the BGH is based in Karlsruhe and plays a crucial role in ensuring uniform legal standards in important legal areas such as tenancy law and diesel lawsuits. This legacy is now being honored with an in-depth study by the legal historian Andreas Roth and the contemporary historian Michael Kißener, who shed light on the early years of the BGH under the shadow of the Nazi era. A conversation with Roth in the ARD radio report Law illuminates these aspects and takes a look at the challenging beginnings of the Court. This shows that the BGH's influence on this dark period in German history was not without influence on case law, as SWR reports.
The tasks of the BGH are diverse: It reviews decisions of the lower courts and ensures that legal unity is maintained. With its five civil panels and six criminal panels, it is well positioned to cover a wide range of proceedings within the ordinary jurisdiction. Special areas include professional law, antitrust law and agricultural matters. A look at the structure of the BGH shows that the judges are appointed for life and the proportion of women among them is around 28%. The BGH has also adopted some modern measures, such as electronic filing of pleadings and publication of its decisions online, making it a pioneer in the field of electronic legal transactions, as Wikipedia summarizes.
A look into the future
Given the current times, the BGH's communication is not without challenges. There is currently an increase in phishing emails relating to the filing of 'civil lawsuits'. These fraudulent messages contain links to an alleged official document portal without actually coming from the BGH. Citizens are therefore warned against clicking on links or disclosing private information. Fake letters in English informing about a supposed inheritance are also in circulation. Such warnings are essential to protect the public in these uncertain times, as bundesgerichtshof.de informs.
The Federal Court of Justice stands for the rule of law and the further development of the German legal system. The 75 years of experience bring with them considerable responsibility, especially in times when legal issues are becoming increasingly complex and the perception of legal certainty is becoming increasingly important. Whether it is about protecting tenants' rights or combating fraud: the BGH remains an indispensable part of the German legal landscape.