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GermanyCrime3 days ago

Criminal Defense: The Only Weapon is the Word

The article discusses the potential reintroduction of sanctions against defiant defense lawyers in Germany. Currently, since 1921, German criminal judges have not been able to penalize uncooperative defense attorneys. A commission appointed by the Federal Ministry of Justice has been examining modernization of the German criminal process since last autumn. Some members of the reform committee are considering allowing judges to impose fines on recalcitrant defense lawyers, but this would apply only to defense lawyers and not also to prosecutors. The article argues that such a measure would be a

Bis 1921 hatten deutsche Strafrichter die Möglichkeit,

aufsässige Verteidiger zu sanktionieren. Dann, vor über hundert Jahren, wurde

die entsprechende Vorschrift gestrichen. Nun aber wird über eine

Wiedereinführung der Sanktionsmöglichkeiten diskutiert. Seit Herbst letzten

Jahres beschäftigt sich eine Kommission im Auftrag des Bundesjustizministeriums

mit einer Modernisierung des deutschen Strafprozesses. Einige Mitglieder der

Reformkommission erwägen, den Strafrichtern die Möglichkeit zurückzugeben,

renitente Verteidiger kurzerhand mit einem Ordnungsgeld zu belegen . Ohne

nachvollziehbaren Grund soll diese Regelung aber einseitig nur für Verteidiger gelten,

nicht auch für Staatsanwälte. Es wäre rechtspolitisch ein krasser Rückschritt.

Read the full article at Die Zeit →

1 reports

Die ZeitIndependentCenter3 days ago
Criminal Defense: The Only Weapon is the Word

The article discusses the potential reintroduction of sanctions against defiant defense lawyers in Germany. Currently, since 1921, German criminal judges have not been able to penalize uncooperative defense attorneys. A commission appointed by the Federal Ministry of Justice has been examining modernization of the German criminal process since last autumn. Some members of the reform committee are considering allowing judges to impose fines on recalcitrant defense lawyers, but this would apply only to defense lawyers and not also to prosecutors. The article argues that such a measure would be a

Bias read (Center): The article presents the debate over potential legal reforms without overtly favoring one side. It mentions both the proposal and the argument against it, indicating a balanced approach.