Criminal defence, white-collar crime, regulatory investigations and extradition matters for foreigners.
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Yes — in all EU countries you have the right to legal representation from the moment of arrest. You also have the right to an interpreter if you do not speak the local language.
Contact an English-speaking criminal defence lawyer immediately. Do not answer police questions without a lawyer present.
Browse our verified directory of law firms across Germany's major cities. All listed firms offer English-language legal services to expats and foreign nationals.
Find My Lawyer in 60 SecondsGerman criminal law distinguishes between Vergehen (misdemeanours) and Verbrechen (felonies, minimum 1 year imprisonment). You have the right to remain silent (Schweigerecht) and to a lawyer from the first police contact. A Pflichtverteidiger (court-appointed defence) is mandatory for serious charges. Strafbefehl (penalty order) offers expedited resolution for minor offences — you can object within 2 weeks.
| Stage | Who acts | Key rights | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ermittlungsverfahren (investigation) | Staatsanwaltschaft + Police | Right to silence (§ 136 StPO); right to lawyer (§ 137 StPO) | Weeks to years |
| Zwischenverfahren (committal) | Gericht | Review of Anklage; Einspruch against Strafbefehl (2 weeks) | 4–12 weeks |
| Hauptverhandlung (trial) | Richter + Schöffen + RA | Oral proceedings; cross-examination; Beweisantragsrecht | 1 day – months |
| Rechtsmittel (appeals) | Angeklagter / StA | Berufung (LG) or Revision (OLG/BGH) | 1 week to file |
| Offence | StGB Section | Max penalty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Betrug (fraud) | § 263 StGB | 5 years (10 severe) | Includes online fraud |
| Körperverletzung (assault) | § 223 StGB | 5 years | Gefährliche KV: 10 years |
| Diebstahl (theft) | § 242 StGB | 5 years | Schwerer Diebstahl: 10 years |
| Beleidigung (defamation/insult) | § 185 StGB | 1 year or fine | Antrag within 3 months |
| Fahren ohne Fahrerlaubnis | § 21 StVG | 1 year or fine | Also: Fahrverbot |
| Steuerhinterziehung (tax evasion) | § 370 AO | 5 years (10 severe) | Over €1M: presumed severe |
| Case type | Pflichtverteidiger (legal aid) | Private RA (typical range) |
|---|---|---|
| Strafbefehl / minor offence | Not appointed | €500–1,500 |
| Amtsgericht trial (Vergehen) | RVG-based (~€800–1,200) | €1,500–4,000 |
| Landgericht (Verbrechen) | Mandatory; RVG (~€2,000–4,000) | €5,000–20,000+ |
| White-collar / complex fraud | Pflichtverteidiger appointed | €15,000–100,000+ |
