Criminal Defence · Germany
Find a theft lawyer in Germany for your case
A theft allegation in Germany can move quickly, and letters or summonses will not wait for you. We match you, free of charge, with a lawyer whose practice covers theft and criminal defence, so you can decide your next step with proper information.
- Describe your theft matter in a few clear lines
- We match you with a lawyer who handles this work
- Free matching, no obligation to instruct
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Your situation
A theft matter in Germany needs the right lawyer, not just any lawyer
A theft allegation in Germany can affect your liberty, your job and your reputation, and it can arrive without warning — a police summons, a letter from a landlord, or a shop’s loss-prevention report. Whether you are accused, a victim seeking the return of property, or a business dealing with internal theft, the practical question is the same: which lawyer actually handles this kind of matter in the German courts? europeanlawyerfinder.com answers that question at no cost to you. Describe your situation in a few lines, and we match you with a theft lawyer in Germany whose practice covers theft and criminal defence work, so you can speak to someone who knows the local procedure and language. No fees for the match, no obligation to instruct.
Local context
How theft matters and legal practice work in Germany
Germany is a codified civil-law country, so procedure, court structure and lawyers’ fees all follow written statutes rather than case-by-case discretion. Knowing the framework helps you ask the right questions of the lawyer you speak to.
Criminal cases within the ordinary jurisdiction
Germany has a codified civil-law system, and criminal matters sit within the ordinary jurisdiction — the same branch of the judiciary that hears civil disputes. The ordinary courts are organised in tiers: local courts (Amtsgerichte), regional courts (Landgerichte), higher regional courts (Oberlandesgerichte) and, at the top, the Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof) in Karlsruhe. Specialised administrative, labour, social and fiscal courts sit alongside them, and proceedings are conducted in German.
Who may practise as a lawyer in Germany
Admission to the German bar requires the qualification for judicial office (Befähigung zum Richteramt), obtained by passing two state examinations after university legal study and a practical traineeship (Referendariat), under Section 5 of the German Judges Act. Every admitted lawyer is compulsorily a member of the regional Rechtsanwaltskammer for their district; the 28 regional bars are coordinated by the federal Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer (BRAK), which adopts the professional conduct rules.
Fees: the statutory framework you can rely on
Lawyer fees in Germany are largely governed by the Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz (RVG), which fixes a fee rate for each procedural step calculated from the value in dispute, so fees are predictable and mostly independent of hours worked. Hourly or success-based fees are permitted only within narrow statutory limits. Court fees follow the Court Fees Act (GKG) on a fixed scale tied to the amount in dispute.
Legal aid: what it covers and what it does not
Germany distinguishes advisory assistance (Beratungshilfe) for out-of-court advice from legal aid for court proceedings (Prozesskostenhilfe). Prozesskostenhilfe is available in civil, voluntary-jurisdiction, labour, administrative, social and fiscal proceedings for parties who cannot afford the costs, subject to an income and personal-circumstances test, with repayment if circumstances improve. It is not available to criminal defendants or to debtors in insolvency proceedings.
Representation before the courts
Parties to disputes before the regional courts (Landgerichte) and higher regional courts (Oberlandesgerichte) must be represented by a lawyer, as must parties before the Federal Court of Justice, where only specially admitted lawyers may appear (Section 78(1) ZPO). A lawyer is also mandatory in most family-law matters before the local court. In other civil matters before the Amtsgericht, parties may generally represent themselves.
Time limits that shape strategy
Most civil claims in Germany are subject to a three-year limitation period under Section 195 BGB, running from the end of the year in which the claim arose and the creditor knew, or ought to have known, of the facts and the debtor’s identity (Section 199 BGB). Special periods apply to certain claims, such as 30 years for claims established by final judgment, so limitation analysis is fact-sensitive.
All country details on this page are taken from official German and European Union sources — the German legislation portal gesetze-im-internet.de, the Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer and the EU e-Justice Portal — consulted in 2025.
- National justice systems — Germany (EU e-Justice Portal)
- Bundesrechtsanwaltskammer (BRAK) — the German federal bar
- Section 78 ZPO — mandatory representation before the courts
- Legal aid in Germany (EU e-Justice Portal)
- Section 4 KSchG — three-week deadline for a dismissal claim
- Section 195 BGB — regular three-year limitation period
- Section 1566 BGB — divorce after one year of separation
- Section 1944 BGB — disclaimer of an inheritance
- Section 573c BGB — residential tenancy notice periods
- Section 70 VwGO — period for an administrative appeal
Why it feels stuck
What usually makes a theft matter harder than it needs to be
Most people who contact us are not short of information. They are short of a clear route to one lawyer who understands their particular situation.
You cannot tell which lawyer handles theft
Search results list hundreds of German lawyers, but few explain how they actually handle theft matters, what they need from you first, or how they work with the courts in your city.
You are unsure which deadlines apply
German law mixes long limitation periods with very short ones — three years for most civil claims, three weeks for a dismissal claim. Missing a step is easy when nobody explains the timetable.
You are worried about cost before you start
German lawyer fees follow a statutory scale, but you still need to understand what your own matter will involve and whether any form of state assistance could apply in your situation.
How we help
Matching built around your theft matter, not a directory listing
You describe the facts once. We use them to identify lawyers whose practice genuinely covers this type of work in Germany.
Matching that fits the matter
We match you with lawyers whose practice covers theft and criminal defence work, rather than general practitioners who accept anything that arrives.
Lawyers admitted in Germany
The lawyers we match you with are admitted in Germany and belong to a regional Rechtsanwaltskammer coordinated by the federal BRAK, so the professional framework around them is clear.
Plain talk about fees
German fees are largely governed by the RVG scale, so you can ask direct questions about procedural steps, court fees and what each stage is likely to involve.
Free and confidential
Describing your situation costs nothing and commits you to nothing. If you decide not to instruct a lawyer, that decision is entirely yours.
Europe-wide
Theft and criminal defence lawyers across Europe
If your matter crosses a border, or you are being contacted by authorities outside Germany, we can look for representation in other European jurisdictions as well.
Questions
Theft lawyer in Germany: questions clients ask us
How do I find a theft lawyer in Germany?
Start by setting out what happened, when it happened and any letters or summonses you have received. Submit those details to us and we match you, free of charge, with a theft lawyer in Germany whose practice covers theft and criminal defence, so the first conversation is with someone who handles this work regularly.
Do I need a lawyer to act for me in Germany?
It depends on the proceedings and the court. In German civil disputes before the regional courts and higher regional courts, parties must be represented by a lawyer (Section 78(1) ZPO), while in other civil matters before the local court they may generally represent themselves. Ask the lawyer you are matched with to confirm the position for your case.
How are lawyer’s fees calculated in Germany?
Fees are largely set by the Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz (RVG), which fixes a rate for each procedural step calculated from the value in dispute, so they are predictable and mostly independent of hours worked. Hourly or success-based fees are allowed only within narrow statutory limits, and court fees follow a fixed scale under the GKG.
Is legal aid available for a criminal case in Germany?
The legal aid scheme for court proceedings (Prozesskostenhilfe) covers civil, voluntary-jurisdiction, labour, administrative, social and fiscal proceedings, subject to an income and personal-circumstances test, but it is not available to criminal defendants. Advisory assistance (Beratungshilfe) can fund out-of-court advice for those who cannot afford it. Ask your lawyer what applies to you.
Which courts deal with theft matters in Germany?
Criminal matters fall within the ordinary jurisdiction, which also hears civil disputes. The ordinary courts run from the local courts (Amtsgerichte) and regional courts (Landgerichte) up through the higher regional courts (Oberlandesgerichte) to the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe. Administrative, labour, social and fiscal courts form separate branches, and proceedings are held in German.
How quickly should I contact a lawyer about a theft matter?
German civil claims are generally subject to a three-year limitation period under Section 195 BGB, but some deadlines are far shorter — an employment dismissal claim must be brought within three weeks. Because timing questions are fact-sensitive, it is sensible to speak to a lawyer early rather than to wait for a reminder.
Next step
Tell us about your theft matter in Germany
Describe your situation in a few lines and we will look for a lawyer whose practice covers theft and criminal defence in the right part of Germany. The matching service is free, confidential and carries no obligation to instruct anyone.