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Sharing Responsibility: The German Federal Court of Justice and the Civil Appellate System

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Supreme Courts Under Pressure

Part of the book series: Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice ((IUSGENT,volume 83))

Abstract

When evaluating the role of Supreme Courts the main problem consists in finding the right balance between the goal of doing justice in the individual case and the overarching responsibility of every Supreme Court to clarify and develop the law. The history of reforms of access to the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) can be seen as a constant attempt to redefine this equilibrium; sometimes one aspect is given more emphasis, sometimes the other. In Germany, traditionally, much weight has been placed on the goal of individual justice. However, in recent decades the collective aspects of Revision have been strengthened. The major reform of 2001 not only introduced restrictions on access to the Federal Court of Justice, but also reshaped the entire procedural system, giving more weight to the first instance. This has led to a significant reduction in the caseload of the Federal Court of Justice.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For a comparative account of the Supreme Courts in the German-speaking countries cf. Domej (2017).

  2. 2.

    These statutes are commonly referred to as the Imperial Judicial Acts (Reichsjustizgesetze). They entered into force on 1 October 1879.

  3. 3.

    See the account given by the Bundesgerichtshof (BGH), Neue Juristische Wochenschrift (NJW), 1952, p. 937.

  4. 4.

    See, e.g., Imperial Court of Justice, Entscheidungen des Reichsgerichts in Zivilsachen (RGZ), vol 147, pp. 65, 68, dealing with the duty to respect ‘aryan values’ in education.

  5. 5.

    See amply Weitzel (1976).

  6. 6.

    As of 31 December 2016. See the data provided by the Federal Office of Justice (Bundesamt für Justiz) at https://www.bundesjustizamt.de/DE/Themen/Buergerdienste/Justizstatistik/Personal/Personal_node.html. Accessed 28 May 2019. Other Federal Supreme Courts: Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht): 16 judges; Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht): 55 judges; Federal Finance Court (Bundesfinanzhof): 59 judges; Federal Labour Court (Bundesarbeitsgericht): 39 judges; Federal Social Court (Bundessozialgericht): 42 judges; Federal Patent Court (Bundespatentgericht): 107.8 judges (the number combines full- and part-time appointments); Military Court (Truppendienstgericht): 12 judges.

  7. 7.

    There are other senates, such as the Cartel Claims Senate; see the overview at http://www.bundesgerichtshof.de/DE/DasGericht/Geschaeftsverteilung/SachlicheZustaendigkeit/WeitereSenate/weitereSenate_node.html. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  8. 8.

    See the detailed organisational plan (Geschäftsverteilungsplan). https://www.bundesgerichtshof.de/DE/DasGericht/Geschaeftsverteilung/Geschaeftsverteilungsplan2019/Zivilsenate2019/zivilsenate2019_node.html. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  9. 9.

    § 132 GVG.

  10. 10.

    Note that this does not hold true for the Federal Constitutional Court, as frequently law professors are appointed as judges.

  11. 11.

    Source: http://www.rak-bgh.de/. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  12. 12.

    In total, there are 436 federal judges; see the reference provided in n. 6 above.

  13. 13.

    The legal basis is the Gesetz zur Wahrung der Einheitlichkeit der Rechtsprechung der obersten Gerichtshöfe des Bundes vom 19. Juni 1968 (Bundesgesetzblatt [BGBl.], vol I, p. 661). See generally Schulte (1986).

  14. 14.

    Gemeinsamer Senat der obersten Gerichtshöfe des Bundes, Beschluss vom 5.4.2000, Az. GmS-OGB 1/98 – Computerfax, Entscheidungen des Bundesgerichtshofs in Zivilsachen (BGHZ), vol 144, p. 160.

  15. 15.

    Between 1951 and 2018 229,899 constitutional complaints were filed with the Constitutional Court. The overall success rate, however, is only about 2.3%. A considerable part of all constitutional complaints (56,510 between 1991 and 2018) are directed against court judgments in civil cases. cf. https://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/DE/Verfahren/Jahresstatistiken/2018/statistik_2018_node.html. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  16. 16.

    The term has been used by the Constitutional Court itself; cf. Entscheidungen des Bundesverfassungsgerichts (BVerfGE), vol 7, p. 198, § 31: ‘So wenig das Bundesverfassungsgericht berufen ist, als Revisions- oder gar “Superrevisions” -Instanz gegenüber den Zivilgerichten tätig zu werden, sowenig darf es von der Nachprüfung solcher Urteile allgemein absehen und an einer in ihnen etwa zutage tretenden Verkennung grundrechtlicher Normen und Maßstäbe vorübergehen.’ See Krauß (1987), § 6; Hager (2006), p. 773.

  17. 17.

    BVerfGE 7, p. 198 (Lüth).

  18. 18.

    BVerfGE 81, p. 242 (Handelsvertreter).

  19. 19.

    BVerfGE 89, p. 214 (Bürgschaftsfall).

  20. 20.

    BVerfGE 103, p. 89 (Ehevertrag).

  21. 21.

    BVerfGE 107, p. 395 (Rechtsschutz gegen den Richter).

  22. 22.

    § 321a(1) ZPO reads: ‘Redress granted in the event a party’s right to be given an effective and fair legal hearing has been violated. (1) Upon an objection having been filed by the party adversely affected by the decision, the proceedings are to be continued if:

    1. 1.

      No appellate remedy or any other legal remedy is available against the decision, and

    2. 2.

      The court has violated the entitlement of this party to be given an effective and fair legal hearing and this has significantly affected the decision.

    No objection may be filed against any decision preceding the final decision.’

  23. 23.

    See §§ 23, 71 GVG.

  24. 24.

    See § 119 GVG.

  25. 25.

    See §§ 133 and 135 GVG.

  26. 26.

    For a brief history of the law of appeals in Germany as well as for further references see Stürner (2002), pp. 7ff.

  27. 27.

    Furthermore, proceedings may be reopened under very limited conditions; see § 578ff. ZPO.

  28. 28.

    Gesetz zur Reform des Zivilprozesses vom 27.7.2001 (BGBl. I, p. 1887).

  29. 29.

    See, e.g., Schmidt-Aßmann (2003), Enders (2016), both with further references.

  30. 30.

    See, e.g., BVerfGE 1, pp. 433, 437.

  31. 31.

    The (presumably still) predominant opinion, however, takes the rather narrow view that Article 19(4) GG guarantees a legal remedy by the judge, not against him (‘Rechtsschutz durch, nicht gegen den Richter’; see BVerfGE 15, pp. 275, 280, BVerfGE 49, pp. 329, 340, BVerfGE 65, pp. 76, 90). That maxim was coined by Günter Dürig; see Dürig (1958).

  32. 32.

    See Voßkuhle (1993, 2003); Stürner (2002), pp. 66ff.

  33. 33.

    For that rationale see Stürner (2002), pp. 79ff.

  34. 34.

    BVerfGE 107, p. 395: ‘Es verstößt gegen das Rechtsstaatsprinzip in Verbindung mit Artikel 103 Absatz 1 des Grundgesetzes, wenn eine Verfahrensordnung keine fachgerichtliche Abhilfemöglichkeit für den Fall vorsieht, dass ein Gericht in entscheidungserheblicher Weise den Anspruch auf rechtliches Gehör verletzt.’ This has been reiterated in BVerfGE 108, pp. 341, 347.

  35. 35.

    See the reference in n. 30 above. The legislator reacted soon after the decision, inserting § 321a ZPO; see n. 22 above.

  36. 36.

    For a comparative Anglo-German perspective see Stürner (2002), pp. 106ff.

  37. 37.

    See Arnold (2013).

  38. 38.

    § 531(2) ZPO reads: ‘(2) New means of challenge or defence are to be admitted only if they: 1. Concern an aspect that the court of first instance has recognisably failed to see or has held to be insignificant; 2. Were not asserted in the proceedings before the court of first instance due to a defect in the proceedings; or 3. Were not asserted in the proceedings before the court of first instance, without this being due to the negligence of the party.’

  39. 39.

    Germany was sometimes seen as a Rechtsmittelstaat (the term plays with the central notion of Rechtsstaat, i.e. a state governed by the Rule of Law; Rechtsmittel means ‘appeal’): see, e.g., Justizministerium Baden-Württemberg (1999); some commentators ironically referred to the German ‘Instanzenseeligkeit’; cf. Zeidler (1983), p. 253; Sendler (1982), p. 164.

  40. 40.

    cf. Rimmelspacher (2016).

  41. 41.

    See Weller (2011).

  42. 42.

    cf. Greger (2004), p. 813.

  43. 43.

    Gesetz zur Änderung des § 522 der Zivilprozessordnung vom 21.10.2011 (BGBl. I, p. 2082), in force since 27 October 2011.

  44. 44.

    See Sect. 1.5.1 below.

  45. 45.

    Before the reform of 2001 there was no Revision against final appellate judgments of the Regional Courts.

  46. 46.

    See generally Domej (2014).

  47. 47.

    28 USC § 1254(1), § 1257(a). See Schack (2011), note 7 with references.

  48. 48.

    Note, however, that there is a complaint against denial of leave to appeal (§ 544 ZPO: Nichtzulassungsbeschwerde). See on Appeal Against Denial of Admission (Nichtzulassungsbeschwerde) below.

  49. 49.

    Andrews (2013), Chapter 15. See Article 40 Constitutional Reform Act 2005. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/4/section/40. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  50. 50.

    § 546 ZPO as of 2001. See amply Prütting (1997).

  51. 51.

    Nichtannahmebeschluss, § 554b ZPO as of 2001.

  52. 52.

    cf. BVerfGE 54, p. 277.

  53. 53.

    See Bericht zur Rechtsmittelreform in Zivilsachen, C.1.1.1.2. This report can be downloaded at http://gesmat.bundesgerichtshof.de/gesetzesmaterialien/15_wp/Zivilprozessreformgesetz/b_rechtsmittelr_zs-index.htm. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  54. 54.

    cf. Althammer (2014), pp. 98ff.

  55. 55.

    See Sect. 1.2.1 above.

  56. 56.

    cf. BGHZ 152, p. 182.

  57. 57.

    cf. BGHZ 152, p. 182.

  58. 58.

    Gesetz zur Förderung des elektronischen Rechtsverkehrs mit den Gerichten vom 10.10.2013 (BGBl. I, p. 3786). It entered into force on 1 January 2014.

  59. 59.

    cf. Winter (2014).

  60. 60.

    Referentenentwurf eines Gesetzes zur Reform des Zivilprozesses vom 23.12.1999, pp. 83ff. The full text can be downloaded at http://www.gesmat.bundesgerichtshof.de/gesetzesmaterialien/15_wp/Zivilprozessreformgesetz/RefE.pdf. Accessed 28 May 2019.

  61. 61.

    The Zweites Gesetz zur Modernisierung der Justiz vom 22.12.2006 (BGBl. I, p. 3416) extended the sunset clause from 2006 until 2011; the Gesetz zur Änderung des § 522 ZPO vom 21.10.2011 (BGBl. I, p. 2082) brought about a further extension from 2011 until 2014. The Gesetz zur Erleichterung der Umsetzung der Grundbuchamtsreform in Baden-Württemberg sowie zur Änderung des Gesetzes betreffend die Einführung der Zivilprozessordnung und des Wohnungseigentumsgesetzes vom 5.12.2014 (BGBl. I, p. 1962) extended that provision until 31 December 2016. The Drittes Gesetz zur Änderung der Insolvenzordnung und zur Änderung des Gesetzes, betreffend die Einführung der Zivilprozessordnung vom 22.12.2016 (BGBl. I, p. 3147) brought about a further extension until 30 June 2018. The Gesetz zur Änderung des Gesetzes, betreffend die Einführung der Zivilprozessordnung vom 21.6.2018 (BGBl. I, p. 863) extended the provision unil 31 December 2019. The provision was held to be constitutional; see BGH Neue Juristische Wochenschrift – Rechtsprechungs-Report (NJW-RR), 2003, p. 645.

  62. 62.

    § 522(2) ZPO; see Section Appeal (Berufung) above.

  63. 63.

    See Krüger (2016).

  64. 64.

    The German terminology is Interpretationsfehler.

  65. 65.

    The German terminology is Subsumtionsfehler.

  66. 66.

    For exceptions see Reichold (2016).

  67. 67.

    Example: BGH NJW 2004, p. 2736: referral to the court of appeal which does not want to follow; judgment is again attacked; see BGH NJW 2007, p. 1227. On the point see generally Bartels (2009) and Madaus (2013).

  68. 68.

    Another concerns decisions of the Constitutional Court, which are binding on all lower courts pursuant to § 31 Act on the Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgerichtsgesetz – BVerfGG).

  69. 69.

    See Stürner (2002), pp. 116ff.

  70. 70.

    In German, Rechtsanwälte beim Bundesgerichtshof.

  71. 71.

    § 14(1) and (2) Geschäftsordnung des Bundesgerichtshofs.

  72. 72.

    § 153 GVG.

  73. 73.

    The correct legal terminology would be Wissenschaftliche Hilfskräfte (§ 193(1) GVG), hence the abbreviation Hiwi. See amply Bichlmeir (1971).

  74. 74.

    The legal basis is § 37 Judiciary Act (Deutsches Richtergesetz—DRiG).

  75. 75.

    In German these drafts are informally called Vorvotum (pre-draft), as the drafts prepared by the Berichterstatter (rapporteur) will be called Votum (draft). These drafts serve as a basis for the decision of the five-member senate.

  76. 76.

    § 193(1) GVG, but the presiding judge may exclude their presence.

  77. 77.

    There are around 65 Hiwis at the Constitutional Court. They are informally referred to as the ‘Third Senate,’ making reference to the importance of their work.

  78. 78.

    § 140 GVG allows for a delegation to the court itself. The Geschäftsordnung des Bundesgerichtshofs has a rule on the rapporteur in § 8.

  79. 79.

    § 8(1) and (2) Geschäftsordnung des Bundesgerichtshofs.

  80. 80.

    When also counting appeals on the basis of special legislation such as appeals (Berufungen) in patent law or complaints on points of law (Rechtsbeschwerden) in energy law and in competition law the number of incoming cases amounts to a total of 6743.

  81. 81.

    Taking into account complaints pursuant to § 544(1) ZPO as well as § 522(3) ZPO; also considering applications for leapfrog appeal pursuant to § 566(1) ZPO.

  82. 82.

    The number of Rechtsbeschwerden was on the decline after a peak in 2010, but seems to have gone up again lately: 1563 in 2018; 1689 in 2017; 1528 in 2016; 1594 in 2015; 1544 in 2014; 1550 in 2013; 1617 in 2012; 1848 in 2011; 1920 in 2010; 1365 in 2009; 1343 in 2008; and 1267 in 2007.

  83. 83.

    Annual Report 2018, pp. 32ff.

  84. 84.

    See the account given by Wolf (2015).

  85. 85.

    See Wolf (2015); data provided by Graf-Schlicker (2014), p. 575, indicates that from 2004 to 2012 there was a 32.4% decline in the number of cases disposed of.

  86. 86.

    See Wolf (2015), p. 1657.

  87. 87.

    For an overview see Benöhr et al. (2012), pp. 90ff.

  88. 88.

    Directive 2013/11/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 May 2013 on alternative dispute resolution for consumer disputes and amending Regulation (EC) No. 2006/2004 and Directive 2009/22/EC (Directive on consumer ADR), O.J. No. L 165 of 18 June 2013, p. 63.

  89. 89.

    BGBl. I, 254, p. 1039. The VSBG entered into force on 1 April 2016.

  90. 90.

    See Limperg (2015), p. 228. See also Roth (2013, 2015), Eidenmüller and Engel (2013), Wagner (2014), Rühl (2014), Meller-Hannich et al. (2014) and Stürner et al. (2014).

  91. 91.

    See Gaier (2016).

  92. 92.

    See http://www.lawmadeingermany.de. Accessed 28 May 2019. Partners are: Bundesnotarkammer, Deutscher Anwaltsverein, Deutsche Notarverein, Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer, Deutscher Richterbund, and Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammertag.

  93. 93.

    As reiterated in the Coalition Agreement (Koalitionsvertrag) of 2013, p. 154; cf. https://www.cdu.de/sites/default/files/media/dokumente/koalitionsvertrag.pdf. Accessed 28 May 2019. cf. also the statement by the German Minister of Justice: Maas (2015).

  94. 94.

    Commentators are divided as to the viability of the initiative; see Aden (2012) (pro), Wernicke (2014) (pro) and Peter (2011) (con).

  95. 95.

    See the Coalition Agreement (Koalitionsvertrag) (n. 93 above) and the statement by the German Minister of Justice: Maas (2015).

  96. 96.

    See Hill (2015); Roth (2016), pp. 13ff.

  97. 97.

    Berlin already introduced a draft bill on 7 July 2015 titled Entwurf eines Gesetzes zur Modernisierung der Strukturen der Landgerichte, Bundesrats-Drucksache (BR-Drs.) No. 322/15.

  98. 98.

    See Bundestags-Drucksache (BT-Drs.) No. 14/4722, p. 66.

  99. 99.

    See BT-Drs. 14/4722, p. 65.

  100. 100.

    See the table set out in Annex 2 to § 34(1)(3) of the Court Fees Act (Gerichtskostengesetz—GKG).

  101. 101.

    See the table set out in Annex 1 to § 3(2) of the Court Fees Act (Gerichtskostengesetz—GKG).

  102. 102.

    See the Act on Lawyers’ Fees (Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz—RVG).

  103. 103.

    See Sect. 1.3.3 above.

  104. 104.

    See Sect. 1.2.2 above.

  105. 105.

    § 709 ZPO: ‘Provisionally enforceable judgments delivered against security. Other judgments are to be declared provisionally enforceable against provision of security, the amount of which is to be determined by the court. Insofar as a monetary claim is to be enforced, it shall be deemed compliant with the present rule if the amount of the security is specified in a determined ratio to the amount to be enforced in the particular case. Where a judgment upholding a default judgment is concerned, it is to stipulate that enforcement efforts under the default judgment may be continued only against provision of security.’

  106. 106.

    Hommerich and Prütting (2006).

  107. 107.

    The history of the Deutscher Juristentag dates back to 1860 (see Stürner 2010). A politically and ideologically neutral association, its goal is to contribute to the development of the legal system in all fields of law.

  108. 108.

    See, e.g., BGHZ 154, p. 288.

  109. 109.

    See Raeschke-Kessler (2015), p. 823, citing a claim worth €524 million filed with the Bundesgerichtshof, which bluntly decided in a two-line judgment that the case did not have fundamental significance.

  110. 110.

    See Sect. 2.2 above.

  111. 111.

    Worldwide: 1322 cases with institutional arbitration in 2012; see Wolf (2015). That accounts for only 3.5% of all commercial cases in Germany in that year (36,324).

  112. 112.

    See Wolf (2015), p. 1658.

  113. 113.

    BT-Drs. No. 14/4722, pp. 70/71.

  114. 114.

    See Stürner (2016).

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Stürner, M. (2021). Sharing Responsibility: The German Federal Court of Justice and the Civil Appellate System. In: Bravo-Hurtado, P., van Rhee, C.H. (eds) Supreme Courts Under Pressure. Ius Gentium: Comparative Perspectives on Law and Justice, vol 83. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-63731-6_5

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