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German Judiciary Act
(Deutsches Richtergesetz – DRiG)

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Übersetzung durch Brian Duffett und Ute Reusch. Laufende Aktualisierung durch Ute Reusch

Translation provided by Brian Duffett and Ute Reusch. Translation regularly updated by Ute Reusch

Stand: Die Übersetzung berücksichtigt die Änderung(en) des Gesetzes durch Artikel 9 des Gesetzes vom 22. Oktober 2024 (BGBl. 2024 I Nr. 320)
Der Stand der deutschsprachigen Dokumentation kann aktueller sein. Vergleichen Sie dazu bitte http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/drig/BJNR016650961.html.

Version information: The translation includes the amendment(s) to the Act by Article 9 of the Act of 22 October 2024 (Federal Law Gazette 2024 I No. 320)
Translations may not be updated at the same time as the German legal provisions displayed on this website. To compare with the current status of the German version, see http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/drig/BJNR016650961.html.

           
Part 1
Judicial office in Federation and Länder
Division 1
Introductory provisions
Section 1Professional and honorary judges
Section 2Application to professional judges
Section 3Service employer
Section 4Incompatible duties
Division 2
Qualification for judicial office
Section 5Qualification for judicial office
Section 5aUniversity studies
Section 5bPreparatory training
Section 5cCrediting of training for higher intermediate service
Section 5dExaminations; authorisation to issue statutory instruments
Section 6Recognition of examinations
Section 7University professors
Division 3
Judicial tenure
Section 8Legal forms of judicial service
Section 9Conditions for appointment
Section 10Appointment for life
Section 11Appointment for specified term
Section 12Appointment on probation
Section 13Employment of judge on probation
Section 14Appointment as judge by commission
Section 15Effects on civil service tenure
Section 16Duration of employment as judge by commission
Section 17Appointment by deed
Section 17aResignation of parliamentary seat in Bundestag
Section 18Nullity of appointment
Section 19Revocation of appointment
Section 19aOfficial designations
Section 20General seniority
Section 21Dismissal from service
Section 22Dismissal of judge on probation
Section 23Dismissal of judge by commission
Section 24Termination of service by judicial decision
Division 4
Independence of judiciary
Section 25Basic principle
Section 26Supervision of service
Section 27Conferment of judicial office
Section 28Court staffing with judges for life
Section 29Court staffing with judges on probation, judges by commission and judges on secondment
Section 30Transfer and discharge from office
Section 31Transfer in interests of administration of justice
Section 32Changes to organisation of courts
Section 33Retention of full salary
Section 34Retirement on account of unfitness for service
Section 35Provisional ban on carrying out official duties
Section 36Membership of parliament or government
Section 37Secondment
Division 5
Special duties of judge
Section 38Judicial oath
Section 39Maintenance of independence
Section 40Arbitrators and conciliators
Section 41Expert legal opinion
Section 42Additional activities in administration of justice
Section 43Secrecy of deliberations
Division 6
Honorary judges
Section 44Appointment and termination of appointment of honorary judges
Section 44aObstacles to appointment as honorary judge
Section 44bTermination of appointment of honorary judges
Section 45Independence and special duties of honorary judge
Section 45aDesignations used for honorary judges
Part 2
Judges in federal service
Division 1
General provisions
Section 46Application of federal civil service law
Section 47Federal Staff Committee in matters concerning judges
Section 48Retirement
Section 48aLimitation of service and leave for family reasons
Section 48bLeave for reasons relating to labour market conditions
Section 48cPart-time employment
Section 48dPart-time employment, leave and professional advancement
Division 2
Representation of judges
Section 49Council of judges and council for judicial appointments
Section 50Composition of council of judges
Section 51Election of council of judges
Section 52Duties of council of judges
Section 53Joint duties of council of judges and staff representation
Section 54Formation of council for judicial appointments
Section 55Duties of council for judicial appointments
Section 56Initiation of participation
Section 57Opinion of council for judicial appointments
Section 58Conduct of business, legal status of members
Section 59Judges on secondment
Section 60Recourse to courts in matters concerning representation of judges
Division 3
Federal Service Court
Section 61Constitution of service court
Section 62Jurisdiction of Federal Service Court
Section 63Disciplinary proceedings
Section 64Disciplinary measures
Section 65Transfer proceedings
Section 66Scrutiny proceedings
Section 67Operative provisions of judgment in scrutiny proceedings
Section 68Suspension of proceedings
Division 4
Justices of the Federal Constitutional Court
Section 69Limited application of this Act
Section 70Federal judges serving as justices of Federal Constitutional Court
Part 3
Judges in the service of a Land
Section 71Application of Civil Service Status Act
Section 71aApplication of Civil Service Pensions Act
Section 72Formation of councils of judges
Section 73Duties of council of judges
Section 74Formation of council for judicial appointments
Section 75Duties of council for judicial appointments
Section 76Retirement age
Section 76aPart-time employment
Section 77Establishment of service courts
Section 78Jurisdiction of service court
Section 79Instances
Section 80Appeal on points of law in transfer proceedings and scrutiny proceedings
Section 81Admissibility of appeal on points of law in disciplinary proceedings
Section 82Appeal on points of law in disciplinary proceedings
Section 83Procedural provisions
Section 84Constitutional judges
Part 4
Transitional and final provisions
Division 1
Amendment to federal law
Sections 85 to 103(Amending and repealing provisions)
Section 104Reference to repealed provisions
Division 2
Transformation of legal relationships
Sections 105 and 106(repealed)
Section 107(repealed)
Section 108(repealed)
Section 109Qualification for judicial office
Sections 110 and 111(repealed)
Section 112Recognition of foreign examinations and qualifications acquired abroad
Section 112aCertification of equivalence for admission to judicial preparatory training
Sections 113 to 118(repealed)
Division 3
Final provisions
Section 119(repealed)
Section 120Technical members of Federal Patent Court
Section 120aSpecial provisions concerning official designations
Section 121Judges in federal service as members of legislative body of a Land
Section 122Public prosecutors
Section 123Staffing of professional disciplinary tribunals for practising lawyers
Section 124Career change
Section 125(repealed)
Section 126Entry into force
Annex to Unification Treaty
Extract from the Unification Treaty
Annex I Division III Subject Area A, Divisions III and IV
(Federal Law Gazette II 1990, p. 889, p. 929, p. 939)
Division III
– Provisos applicable to the five acceding Länder (Article 1 (1) of the Unification Treaty) –
Division IV
– Provisos applicable to Berlin –