National contacts

Law Enforcement Agencies

At the federal level, IP crime investigations fall under the competence of the Customs Office, which is supported by the Federal Police.

At the state level, IP crime investigations are carried out by the State Police Agencies (Landespolizeien).

There are no units specialised in IP crime investigations.

Prosecution

The prosecution of IP crimes falls under the competence of the Public Prosecutor’s Offices.

There is no unit specialised in prosecuting IP crimes.

Judiciary

There are no courts specialised in IP crime. This type of crime falls under the general court system.

Jurisdiction is exercised by the federal courts and the courts of the 16 federal states. State level courts are organised in a three-tier system:

• Local Courts;
• Regional Courts; and
• Higher Regional Court.

Decisions of Regional Courts (on juvenile cases) and Higher Regional Courts can be revised by the Federal Court of Justice.

Judicial libraries

DER BUNDESGERICHTSHOF (FDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE)

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Der Bundesgerichtshof - Entscheidungen

Selected judgments (since January 2000) from:

• Federal Court of Justice (3rd instance)

JUSTIZPORTAL DES BUNDES UND DER LÄNDER (JUSTICE PORTAL OF THE FEDERATION AND STATES)

Public database. Partly subject to a fee. No registration is required.

Justizportal des Bundes und der Länder: Rechtsprechung

Access to selected judgments from:

• all German states (through dedicated pages).

Other available resources:

• access to federal and state law (through dedicated pages)

BUNDESVERFASSUNGSGERICHT (FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL COURT)

Public and free database. No registration is required.

Bundesverfassungsgericht - Suche nach Entscheidungen

Major judgments from:

• Federal Constitutional Court, since 1998

Other available resources:

• catalogue of types of proceedings by the Constitutional Court
• explanation on the path to decision
• annual overviews of important proceedings
• press releases