Oberlandesgericht

Interior of the Cologne OLG

An Oberlandesgericht (German: [ˈoːbɐˌlandəsɡəʁɪçt] ⓘ; plural – Oberlandesgerichte pronounced [ˈoːbɐˌlandəsɡəʁɪçtə] ⓘ; OLG, English: Higher Regional Court,[1][notes 1] or in Berlin Kammergericht: KG) is a higher court in Germany.

There are 24 Oberlandesgerichte in Germany and they deal with civil and criminal matters. They are positioned above regional courts (Landgerichte) and below the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof), in family and child law above the local courts (Amtsgericht) and below the Federal Court of Justice. In the Oberlandesgerichte, the offices of the Generalstaatsanwaltschaft (German: [ɡenəˈʁaːlˌʃtaːt͡sʔanvaltʃaft] ⓘ) or district attorney general are located. In criminal cases that are under primary jurisdiction of the Federal Court of Justice (i.e., cases concerning national security), the Oberlandesgerichte act as branches of the Federal Court of Justice, that is, as "lower federal courts" (Untere Bundesgerichte).

As per Section 120 Courts Constitution Act [de], OLGs have original jurisdiction (Erstinstanz) over crimes against public international law under the Völkerstrafgesetzbuch (genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes). This includes trials under universal jurisdiction (that were committed by non-Germans outside of Germany).

The OLG Düsseldorf is one of the most popular patent trial forums for patentees in Europe.[2]

The Oberlandesgerichte were first set up in the German Empire by the Courts Constitution Act of 27 January 1877. In Prussia, there had been Oberlandesgerichte as the higher provincial courts since 1808, known as Regierung from 1723 to 1808.

  1. ^ "Amtliche Bezeichnungen deutscher Gerichte" (PDF). Federal Foreign Office (in German). Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 November 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. ^ "New president Patent Division Düsseldorf Appeal Court". Intellectual Property Expert Group Blog. 11 January 2008. Archived from the original on 13 August 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.


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