Law of Germany
The body of law governing Germany, rooted in the civil-law tradition and shaped by its constitution, legislation, regulations, and court decisions.
Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany: Germany’s constitution, adopted in 1949, establishes fundamental rights, federal institutions, and the structure of government. It is the supreme legal framework against which German statutes and state action are measured.
Federal legislation in Germany: The process by which Germany’s federal institutions propose, deliberate on, and enact statutes. It explains how federal statutes acquire legal force.
German legal history: The development of legal institutions and rules in the German lands and German state. Its successive political orders explain the layers inherited by current law.
German criminal law: The German rules defining criminal offenses, liability, and penalties. It sets the limits and consequences of criminal responsibility.
Civil law (legal system): A legal tradition in which comprehensive statutes and codes are central sources of law. Germany is a prominent example of this legal tradition.
German Civil Code: Germany’s principal codification of private law, covering obligations, property, family relations, and succession. Its systematic rules form the core of German private law.
Bundesrat of Germany: The constitutional body through which Germany’s Länder participate in federal legislation and administration. Its consent or participation is required for specified federal laws.
German Civil Code of 1900: The Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch, which took effect in 1900 as Germany’s comprehensive civil code. Its codification established a lasting structure for private law.
German labor law: The German rules governing employment relationships, workplace rights, and collective labor relations. It regulates contracts, worker protections, and cooperation between employers and unions.
Common law: A legal tradition in which judicial decisions have a central role in developing law alongside legislation. Its stronger doctrine of binding precedent contrasts with German statutory method.