A criminal judgment is a shock, but rarely the final result. Judges make mistakes. Witnesses lie. Evidence is misevaluated. The German appellate system gives us the chance to correct these errors.
Important: The deadline to file legal remedies is strictly one week from the verbal pronouncement of the judgment in court. If you miss this deadline, the judgment becomes final (res judicata) and the sentence must be served.
Berufung (Appeal on Fact and Law): The Second Chance
Against judgments of the Local Court (Amtsgericht - e.g., in Mannheim, Heidelberg, Weinheim), a full appeal named Berufung is possible. The special feature: The trial is completely retried from scratch.
- New taking of evidence: Witnesses are heard again.
- New facts: We can introduce new evidence that was overlooked or forgotten in the first instance.
- Change of strategy: We can completely adapt the defense strategy if necessary.
Revision (Appeal on Law): Finding Legal Errors
Against judgments of the Regional Court (Landgericht), the only available remedy is the Revision. In this procedure, no witnesses are heard. The appellate court (Higher Regional Court in Karlsruhe or the Federal Court of Justice/BGH) examines the written judgment solely for legal errors.
An appeal strictly on questions of law is the "mathematics of law". We look for:
- Procedural impediments: Were all motions properly ruled upon? Were all mandatory persons present at all times?
- Substantive legal errors: Did the judge misinterpret the law? Is the reasoning of the evidence logically contradictory?
Our Expertise before Higher Courts
Revision briefs demand meticulous desk work. We defend your interests before the Landgericht Mannheim, the Oberlandesgericht Karlsruhe (Higher Regional Court), and the Bundesgerichtshof (BGH). However, we also take on cases at other courts nationwide.
Why Appeals Require Immediate Action
The deadline for filing an appeal in German criminal proceedings is just one week from the date the verdict is announced in court. Missing this deadline is final — there is no extension and no second chance. If you were unrepresented at trial, or if your lawyer did not advise you of your appeal options, you must act within days. We review every judgment we receive for errors of law, factual gaps, and procedural violations that could form the basis of a successful appeal. In revision proceedings before the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) or the Higher Regional Court (OLG), the written briefs submitted by counsel are decisive — oral argument plays only a limited role. Our practice has extensive experience drafting the detailed legal memoranda required at appellate level, and we work efficiently within the tight timeframes these proceedings demand.
Send us the judgment as soon as you receive it — by photo, email, or WhatsApp. We will review it the same day and advise you immediately on whether an appeal is worthwhile and what realistic prospects of success look like in your specific case.
Information accurate as of: February 2026
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