{"id":81,"date":"2026-06-08T19:05:50","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T19:05:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/?page_id=81"},"modified":"2026-06-14T16:01:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T16:01:47","slug":"commercial-civil-disputes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/commercial-civil-disputes\/","title":{"rendered":"Commercial and\n          Civil Disputes in Germany"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<main id=\"main-content\">\n\n\n    <section class=\"hero-meridian hero-meridian--money\" aria-labelledby=\"page-h1\">\n      <div class=\"hero-meridian__rings\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n      <div class=\"container hero-meridian__inner\">\n        <span class=\"hero-meridian__breadcrumb\"><a href=\"\/en\/\">Home<\/a> &middot; <a href=\"\/en\/services\/\">Services<\/a>\n          &middot; <a href=\"\/en\/commercial-law\/\">Commercial Law<\/a>\n          &middot; Commercial &amp; Civil Disputes<\/span>\n        <h1 class=\"hero-meridian__h1\" id=\"page-h1\">Commercial and\n          Civil Disputes in Germany<\/h1>\n        <p class=\"hero-meridian__lead\">Civil and commercial disputes\n          in Germany are generally heard by the ordinary civil courts.\n          Jurisdiction depends on the amount in dispute and, in\n          certain matters, on statutory subject-matter rules. We\n          advise on litigation strategy and represent in German\n          commercial and civil proceedings, in German and\n          English.<\/p>\n        <div class=\"hero-meridian__actions\">\n          <a href=\"\/en\/contact\/\" class=\"btn btn-light btn-lg\">\n            Request Advice<\/a>\n          <a href=\"#ccd-courts\" class=\"btn btn-ghost-light btn-lg\">\n            Learn more &darr;<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n    <div class=\"container\">\n      <aside class=\"summary-box\" aria-label=\"At a glance\">\n        <span class=\"summary-box__eyebrow\">At a Glance<\/span>\n        <p class=\"summary-box__text\">Civil and commercial disputes\n        in Germany are generally heard by the ordinary civil courts.\n        Jurisdiction depends on the amount in dispute and, in\n        certain matters, on statutory subject-matter rules.\n        Specialised chambers and Commercial Courts may be available\n        for qualifying disputes. As a rule since 1&nbsp;January\n        2026, the Amtsgericht handles civil claims up to\n        &euro;10,000 and the Landgericht claims above that\n        threshold, subject to statutory exceptions. Since 2025,\n        Hamburg has a Commercial Court and Commercial Chambers\n        for commercial disputes, including English-language\n        proceedings in qualifying cases. We advise on litigation\n        strategy and represent in German commercial and civil\n        proceedings, in German and English.<\/p>\n      <\/aside>\n    <\/div>\n    <section class=\"service-body\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n\n        <details class=\"page-toc-mobile\">\n          <summary class=\"page-toc-summary\">\n            <span class=\"page-toc-title\">Contents<\/span>\n          <\/summary>\n          <nav class=\"page-toc-nav\" aria-label=\"Page contents\">\n            <ul class=\"page-toc-list\">\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-courts\" class=\"page-toc-link\">German court structure<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-hamburg\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Hamburg \u2014 Commercial Court and Chambers<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-prelitigation\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Pre-litigation strategy<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-proceedings\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Court proceedings<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-settlement\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Settlement<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-appeals\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Appeals<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-costs\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Costs and cost shifting<\/a><\/li>\n              <li><a href=\"#ccd-international\" class=\"page-toc-link\">For international parties<\/a><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n          <\/nav>\n        <\/details>\n\n        <div class=\"service-layout\">\n\n          <div class=\"service-prose\">\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-courts\">German Court Structure &mdash; First\n              Instance<\/h2>\n            <p>As a rule since 1&nbsp;January 2026, the Amtsgericht\n            (local court) handles civil claims with a value of up to\n            and including &euro;10,000, while the Landgericht\n            (regional court) has jurisdiction above that threshold,\n            subject to statutory subject-matter exceptions.\n            Representation by a lawyer is generally mandatory before\n            the Landgericht and higher civil courts. Before the\n            Amtsgericht, parties can generally represent themselves,\n            although legal representation may still be advisable\n            depending on the case.<\/p>\n            <p>At the Landgericht, a Kammer f&uuml;r Handelssachen\n            (KfH) may hear qualifying commercial matters under\n            &sect;&sect;&nbsp;95&nbsp;ff. GVG where the statutory\n            conditions are met and the applicable procedural request\n            or allocation requirements are satisfied. The KfH is\n            generally composed of one professional judge and two\n            commercial judges. The commercial judges contribute\n            practical commercial experience, although whether the KfH\n            is strategically preferable depends on the dispute.<\/p>\n            <p>Certain disputes are assigned to specific courts or\n            chambers irrespective of value. This may apply, for\n            example, in selected intellectual-property, publication,\n            medical-treatment, insolvency or other specially allocated\n            matters. Subject-matter jurisdiction should be checked\n            before filing.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-hamburg\">Hamburg &mdash; Commercial Court and\n              Commercial Chambers<\/h2>\n            <p>Since April 2025, Hamburg has established two\n            additional options for commercial litigation under the\n            Justizstandort-St&auml;rkungsgesetz:<\/p>\n            <p>The <strong>Commercial Court<\/strong> at the Hanseatic\n            Higher Regional Court has first-instance jurisdiction for\n            qualifying commercial disputes with a value of at least\n            &euro;500,000 where the parties have agreed to its\n            jurisdiction. The parties may also agree whether\n            proceedings are to be conducted in German or English.\n            Judgments of the Commercial Court are not appealed to\n            another Higher Regional Court; they are subject directly\n            to Revision before the Bundesgerichtshof. Under\n            &sect;&nbsp;614 ZPO, this Revision does not require\n            admission.<\/p>\n            <p>The <strong>Commercial Chambers<\/strong> at the Hamburg\n            Regional Court handle certain commercial disputes with a\n            value of at least &euro;5,000. Their proceedings are\n            conducted in English where the applicable subject-matter\n            and party-agreement requirements are met. The designated\n            areas include selected commercial, corporate,\n            post-M&amp;A, transport, IT, competition and\n            insolvency-related disputes. The &euro;5,000 threshold\n            relates specifically to Hamburg&rsquo;s Commercial\n            Chambers and should not be confused with the general\n            &euro;10,000 allocation between Amtsgericht and\n            Landgericht.<\/p>\n            <p>The availability of these courts depends on the subject\n            matter, the applicable statutory conditions, and in some\n            cases the parties&rsquo; agreement. The choice between an\n            ordinary civil chamber, Kammer f&uuml;r Handelssachen,\n            Commercial Chambers and Commercial Court &mdash; taking\n            into account jurisdiction, party agreement, value, subject\n            matter, procedural language and the appellate route\n            &mdash; should be assessed before filing. Outside\n            qualifying English-language proceedings, German remains\n            the court language and translations may be required.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-prelitigation\">Pre-Litigation Strategy<\/h2>\n            <p>Effective dispute resolution begins before the court\n            filing stage. The first written response to an alleged\n            breach, the framing of positions in correspondence, and\n            decisions about whether to set a deadline, declare a\n            termination, propose a settlement, or seek interim relief\n            all have legal and practical consequences including\n            limitation, evidence preservation, and costs.<\/p>\n            <p>We advise at the pre-litigation stage: assessing the\n            legal and factual position, structuring the demand letter\n            or first response, advising on the choice between\n            negotiation, formal demand, and proceedings, and assessing\n            litigation risks, evidentiary issues, cost exposure and\n            possible settlement parameters. Early advice can preserve\n            procedural and commercial options that may become more\n            limited after formal positions have been taken.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-proceedings\">Court Proceedings<\/h2>\n            <p>German civil proceedings are party-driven and actively\n            managed by the court. The parties must present the\n            relevant facts and offer evidence; the court applies the\n            law to the facts properly introduced into the proceedings.\n            The court is not bound by the parties&rsquo; legal\n            characterisation, but it generally decides on the basis of\n            the facts and evidence presented by the parties.<\/p>\n            <p>The duration and complexity of German civil proceedings\n            depend on the court, factual disputes, evidence, expert\n            opinions and procedural conduct. Well-structured\n            submissions and complete documentation can help the court\n            address the relevant issues efficiently.<\/p>\n            <p>Formal expert evidence is generally obtained through a\n            court-appointed expert. Party-appointed expert opinions\n            can support a party&rsquo;s submissions but do not\n            automatically replace expert evidence commissioned by the\n            court.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-settlement\">Settlement &mdash;\n              Vergleich<\/h2>\n            <p>Settlement is available at any stage &mdash; before\n            proceedings, during proceedings, or at the appellate\n            level. German courts are required to consider an amicable\n            resolution during the proceedings and may propose or\n            record a judicial settlement (gerichtlicher Vergleich). A\n            settlement can provide an agreed and immediately\n            controllable resolution, avoid further appellate risk and\n            include practical arrangements that a court could not\n            order. Whether settlement is appropriate depends on the\n            evidence, legal position, costs, enforceability and\n            commercial objectives.<\/p>\n            <p>We advise on settlement strategy, draft settlement\n            agreements, and represent in settlement negotiations at\n            any stage of the dispute.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-appeals\">Appeals &mdash; Berufung and\n              Revision<\/h2>\n            <p>An appeal (Berufung) is generally admissible where the\n            value of the appellant&rsquo;s complaint exceeds\n            &euro;1,000 or where the first-instance court has admitted\n            the appeal. Subject to the admissibility requirements,\n            first-instance judgments of the Amtsgericht are appealed\n            to the Landgericht; first-instance judgments of the\n            Landgericht are appealed to the Oberlandesgericht.<\/p>\n            <p>Berufung is not a complete retrial. Review of factual\n            findings and the introduction of new facts or evidence are\n            subject to statutory limits. Revision to the\n            Bundesgerichtshof is limited to points of law and\n            generally requires admission by the appellate court or a\n            successful statutory procedure challenging the refusal of\n            admission.<\/p>\n            <p>Judgments delivered by a Commercial Court as court of\n            first instance are not appealed to another Higher Regional\n            Court. They are subject directly to Revision before the\n            Bundesgerichtshof; under &sect;&nbsp;614 ZPO, this\n            Revision does not require admission.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-costs\">Costs and Cost Shifting<\/h2>\n            <p>As a general rule, the unsuccessful party bears the\n            court costs and the opponent&rsquo;s recoverable statutory\n            legal costs (&sect;&nbsp;91 ZPO). In the event of partial\n            success, costs are allocated proportionately. A\n            party&rsquo;s actual legal fees under an individual fee\n            agreement may exceed the amount recoverable from the\n            opposing party. Recoverability is governed by procedural\n            cost rules and is not identical to the client&rsquo;s\n            full contractual fee obligation.<\/p>\n            <p>We provide an initial estimate of court fees, statutory\n            cost exposure and the anticipated fee structure, subject\n            to changes in claim value, procedural development and\n            scope.<\/p>\n\n            <h2 id=\"ccd-international\">For International\n              Parties<\/h2>\n            <p>We advise and represent foreign companies and other\n            international parties in German civil and commercial\n            proceedings where German courts have jurisdiction.\n            Jurisdiction depends on the contractual forum clause,\n            Brussels Ia (EU parties), or German domestic jurisdiction\n            rules. Claimants whose habitual residence or relevant\n            establishment is outside the EU or EEA may, at the\n            defendant&rsquo;s request, be required to provide security\n            for litigation costs under &sect;&nbsp;110 ZPO.\n            Treaty-based and statutory exceptions may apply and should\n            be assessed individually.<\/p>\n            <p>The English-language proceedings option at\n            Hamburg&rsquo;s Commercial Court and Commercial Chambers\n            can reduce the practical language barrier for qualifying\n            disputes. Outside qualifying English-language proceedings,\n            German remains the court language and translations may be\n            required. Further detail is on our\n            <a href=\"\/en\/international-contracts\/\">international\n            contracts page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n            <p class=\"anwalt-hinweis\">Advice by\n              <a href=\"\/en\/firm\/alexander-kagan\/\">Alexander Kagan,\n              Attorney at Law<\/a>, admitted to the Hanseatic Bar\n              Association Hamburg. As of: June 2026.<\/p>\n            <p class=\"page-disclaimer\">The contents of this page are\n            for general information only and do not constitute legal\n            advice. A mandate is established only upon express\n            acceptance.<\/p>\n\n          <\/div><!-- \/.service-prose -->\n\n          <aside class=\"page-toc-sidebar\" aria-label=\"Page contents\">\n            <nav>\n              <p class=\"page-toc-sidebar__heading\">Contents<\/p>\n              <ul class=\"page-toc-list\">\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-courts\" class=\"page-toc-link\">German court structure<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-hamburg\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Hamburg \u2014 Commercial Court and Chambers<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-prelitigation\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Pre-litigation strategy<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-proceedings\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Court proceedings<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-settlement\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Settlement<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-appeals\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Appeals<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-costs\" class=\"page-toc-link\">Costs and cost shifting<\/a><\/li>\n                <li><a href=\"#ccd-international\" class=\"page-toc-link\">For international parties<\/a><\/li>\n              <\/ul>\n            <\/nav>\n          <\/aside>\n\n        <\/div><!-- \/.service-layout -->\n      <\/div><!-- \/.container -->\n    <\/section><!-- \/.service-body -->\n\n    <section class=\"section-related\" id=\"leistungen\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"section-label\">Related Services<\/div>\n        <h2>Commercial &amp; Civil Disputes &mdash; Related\n          Pages<\/h2>\n        <div class=\"related-grid\">\n          <a href=\"\/en\/commercial-law\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Commercial Law Hub<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/contract-disputes-germany\/\"\n            class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Contract Disputes\n              Germany<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/debt-collection-germany\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Debt Collection\n              Germany<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/commercial-contract-law\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Commercial Contract\n              Law<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/international-contracts\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Services<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">International\n              Contracts<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/corporate-law-germany\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Cross-Cluster<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">German Corporate\n              Law<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/employment-law-employers\/\" class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">Cross-Cluster<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">Employment Law for\n              Employers<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n          <a href=\"\/en\/for-international-companies\/\"\n            class=\"related-card\">\n            <span class=\"related-card-topic\">For whom<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-title\">For International\n              Companies<\/span>\n            <span class=\"related-card-arrow\"><\/span>\n          <\/a>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"faq-section\" aria-labelledby=\"faq-heading-ccd\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"section-label\">FAQ<\/div>\n        <h2 id=\"faq-heading-ccd\">Frequently Asked Questions &mdash;\n          Commercial &amp; Civil Disputes Germany<\/h2>\n        <ul class=\"faq-list\" role=\"list\">\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Which German court handles my dispute?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>As a rule since 1&nbsp;January 2026, the Amtsgericht\n              handles civil claims up to &euro;10,000 and the\n              Landgericht claims above that threshold, subject to\n              statutory subject-matter exceptions. At the Landgericht,\n              qualifying commercial matters may be heard by the Kammer\n              f&uuml;r Handelssachen (KfH). In Hamburg, the Commercial\n              Chambers at the Regional Court handle certain commercial\n              disputes from &euro;5,000 (note: this is a separate\n              threshold from the general &euro;10,000\n              Amtsgericht\/Landgericht split) and the Commercial Court\n              at the Higher Regional Court handles qualifying disputes\n              from &euro;500,000. Both offer English-language\n              proceedings in qualifying cases.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Are costs recovered if I win?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>As a general rule under &sect;&nbsp;91 ZPO, the\n              unsuccessful party bears the court costs and the\n              opponent&rsquo;s recoverable statutory legal costs. In\n              the event of partial success, costs are allocated\n              proportionately. A party&rsquo;s actual legal fees may\n              exceed the recoverable amount. Recoverability is\n              governed by procedural cost rules and is not identical\n              to the client&rsquo;s full contractual fee\n              obligation.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Settlement or judgment &mdash; which is\n                better?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>Settlement can provide a negotiated resolution and\n              avoid further procedural uncertainty. A judgment may be\n              preferable where authoritative determination,\n              enforcement or precedent within the relationship is\n              required. Whether settlement is appropriate depends on\n              the evidence, legal position, costs, enforceability and\n              commercial objectives.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Can a first-instance judgment be\n                appealed?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>An appeal (Berufung) is generally admissible where\n              the value of the appellant&rsquo;s complaint exceeds\n              &euro;1,000 or where the first-instance court has\n              admitted the appeal. Amtsgericht judgments are reviewed\n              by the Landgericht; first-instance Landgericht judgments\n              by the Oberlandesgericht. Berufung is not a full\n              retrial. Judgments of a Commercial Court are subject\n              directly to Revision before the Bundesgerichtshof under\n              &sect;&nbsp;614 ZPO, without the need for\n              admission.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Are English-language proceedings available in\n                Germany?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>In Hamburg, the Commercial Court at the Hanseatic\n              Higher Regional Court hears qualifying disputes from\n              &euro;500,000 where the parties have agreed to its\n              jurisdiction; the parties may choose German or English\n              as the language of the proceedings. The Commercial\n              Chambers at the Hamburg Regional Court handle certain\n              commercial disputes from &euro;5,000 and conduct\n              qualifying proceedings in English. Outside these\n              qualifying proceedings, German remains the court\n              language.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n          <li class=\"faq-item\">\n            <button class=\"faq-question\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n              <span>Can a foreign company litigate in German\n                courts?<\/span>\n              <span class=\"faq-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span>\n            <\/button>\n            <div class=\"faq-answer\">\n              <p>Yes. Jurisdiction depends on the contractual forum\n              clause, Brussels Ia (EU parties), or German domestic\n              jurisdiction rules. Claimants whose habitual residence\n              or relevant establishment is outside the EU or EEA may,\n              at the defendant&rsquo;s request, be required to provide\n              security for litigation costs under\n              &sect;&nbsp;110 ZPO. Security is not automatic and\n              treaty-based or statutory exceptions may apply.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n          <\/li>\n\n        <\/ul>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n\n    <section class=\"section-cta\">\n      <div class=\"container\">\n        <div class=\"cta-inner\">\n          <div class=\"section-label\">Request Advice<\/div>\n          <h2 class=\"cta-heading\">Commercial &amp; Civil Disputes\n            &mdash; Request Advice<\/h2>\n          <p class=\"cta-body\">We advise on litigation strategy and\n          represent in German commercial and civil proceedings\n          &mdash; pre-litigation strategy, court proceedings,\n          settlement and appeals.<\/p>\n          <p class=\"cta-body\">Please outline your situation briefly.\n          Useful details include the nature of the dispute, the\n          amount involved, the counterparty location, and any\n          limitation or procedural deadline.<\/p>\n          <div class=\"cta-actions\">\n            <a href=\"\/en\/contact\/\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg\">\n              Request Advice<\/a>\n          <\/div>\n          <p class=\"cta-body page-meta\">Please do not send confidential\n          original documents before a mandate has been accepted.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/section>\n  \n<\/main>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n  {\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"Service\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/commercial-civil-disputes\/#service\",\n        \"name\": \"Commercial and Civil Disputes Germany Litigation Lawyer\",\n        \"description\": \"Legal representation in German commercial and civil disputes \u2014 Amtsgericht, Landgericht, OLG, KfH, Hamburg Commercial Court and Commercial Chambers, pre-litigation strategy, settlement and appeals. Kagan Legal Hamburg.\",\n        \"provider\": {\n          \"@type\": \"LegalService\",\n          \"name\": \"Kagan Legal\",\n          \"url\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/\"\n        },\n        \"areaServed\": \"DE\",\n        \"availableLanguage\": [\"English\", \"German\"]\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/commercial-civil-disputes\/#faq\",\n        \"mainEntity\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Which German court handles my dispute?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"As a rule since 1 January 2026, the Amtsgericht handles civil claims up to \u20ac10,000 and the Landgericht above, subject to exceptions. In Hamburg, Commercial Chambers at the Regional Court handle certain commercial disputes from \u20ac5,000 and the Commercial Court at the Higher Regional Court handles qualifying disputes from \u20ac500,000. Both offer English-language proceedings in qualifying cases.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Are English-language proceedings available in Germany?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"In Hamburg, the Commercial Court handles qualifying disputes from \u20ac500,000 where parties agreed to its jurisdiction; parties may choose German or English. The Commercial Chambers handle certain disputes from \u20ac5,000 in English in qualifying cases. Outside these proceedings, German remains the court language.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Can a first-instance judgment be appealed?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"Berufung is generally admissible where the complaint exceeds \u20ac1,000 or the court admits the appeal. Amtsgericht judgments go to the Landgericht; Landgericht judgments to the OLG. Commercial Court judgments go directly to Revision before the BGH under \u00a7 614 ZPO without admission.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Can a foreign company litigate in German courts?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"Yes. Jurisdiction depends on forum clause, Brussels Ia, or German domestic rules. Claimants outside the EU\/EEA may be required to provide security under \u00a7 110 ZPO at the defendant's request; treaty-based exceptions may apply.\"\n            }\n          }\n        ]\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/commercial-civil-disputes\/#breadcrumb\",\n        \"itemListElement\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n            \"position\": 1,\n            \"name\": \"Home\",\n            \"item\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/\"\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n            \"position\": 2,\n            \"name\": \"Commercial Law\",\n            \"item\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/commercial-law\/\"\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n            \"position\": 3,\n            \"name\": \"Commercial and Civil Disputes Germany\",\n            \"item\": \"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/commercial-civil-disputes\/\"\n          }\n        ]\n      }\n    ]\n  }\n  <\/script>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home &middot; Services &middot; Commercial Law &middot; Commercial &amp; Civil Disputes Commercial and Civil Disputes in Germany Civil and commercial disputes in Germany are generally heard by the ordinary civil courts. Jurisdiction depends on the amount in dispute and, in certain matters, on statutory subject-matter rules. We advise on litigation strategy and represent in German [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-leistung","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-81","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/81\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kaganlegal-germany.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}