The Legal System : Germany

The law of the Federal Republic of Germany is predominantly written law. Most of it is federal, comprising more than 4,000 acts and statutory instruments. The states, too, pass laws, mainly on such matters as the police, local government, schools and universities as well as the press, radio and television.

During the four decades when the country was divided, the legal systems of the Federal Republic and the GDR became totally different. The decision was taken in 1990 to merge the two legal systems as soon as possible after the GDR’s accession to the Federal Republic. This was also of fundamental importance for the process of economic recovery in the new federal states. Extensive adjustments were made in nearly all fields of law in order to take account of the special situation in the GDR and the existing system. The adjustments in the structure of the courts have meanwhile been completed.