Category Archives: Law
Nirvana
In the child custody case of an American family that I am litigating before the Kaiserslautern Family Court, the opposing lawyer in her brief lists all the places that the family have lived at since they married: It took me … Continue reading
Historical Ignorance
Zur deutschen Fassung. I am always a bit disappointed when my clients show little enthusiasm, as I explain to them that the finely balanced inter- and sometimes counterplay between federal laws, the state judiciary and municipal executive power in Germany … Continue reading
FAQ on Military Divorce in Germany
As you know, I am a lawyer in Germany and I specialize in international family law. But did you know how I got into family law in the first place? I grew up in Amberg, which used to have a … Continue reading
Marriage makes stupid
Zur deutschen Fassung. As a divorce lawyer, I never tire of singing the praises of single life and trumpeting the dangers of marriage. Unfortunately, no one ever listens to me. Instead, people continue to walk down the aisle, towards doom … Continue reading
How much does Child Custody cost?
A potential client is trying to convince me to take on her case, listing the reasons why she should have child custody. “I have a house, I have a car, my ex doesn’t have anything,” she says, among other equally … Continue reading
FAQ on Reclaiming German Citizenship – updated 2025
The FAQ on German Citizenship are the most popular post on my blog. But some aspects are so complicated, they warrant their own list of FAQ, like those on reclaiming German citizenship or German citizenship by restitution. I am a … Continue reading
A realistic lawyer movie: “Maîtres”
Zur deutschen Fassung. Most lawyer movies and legal series convey a completely skewed image of lawyers and courts. But as most people unfortunately spend more time in front of the television than before an appellate court, these misconceptions inform their … Continue reading
FAQ on International Child Abduction – updated 2025
I have noticed that I receive many e-mails with the same questions, so I have started to post the most frequent questions – and of course the answers to them – for everyone to read. For free, can you believe that?! … Continue reading
FAQ on the Untätigkeitsklage for German Citizenship
I never thought that so many people would ask me to write about the Untätigkeitsklage, an obscure type of lawsuit contained in the German Rules of Administrative Court Proceedings. Honestly, I would much rather write about my quest for the … Continue reading
FAQ on German Citizenship Law – updated 2024
I am a German lawyer, specializing in German citizenship law. These FAQ are supposed to give you an overview of the basic principles governing this area of law, so you can decide whether a paid consultation is worth it. Before … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 