Schleswig-Holstein Higher Regional Court Sees Drop in Civil Appeals, Rise in Family Cases

The Schleswig-Holstein Higher Regional Court (OLG) has presented its annual report, highlighting a continued decrease in civil appeals. President Dirk Bahrenfuss noted that the "Diesel wave," a period of mass litigation concerning diesel vehicles, is largely behind the court, with numbers falling significantly since its peak. This marks a notable shift for the court, which spent years grappling with these complex cases.

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The world of mass litigation is essentially over for us.

While the "Diesel wave" subsides, other mass litigation, particularly related to data theft and tracking by Meta (Facebook's parent company), now occupies the civil chambers. This indicates a persistent challenge of handling large-scale legal disputes, even as the nature of these cases evolves.

In contrast to civil matters, family court appeals have seen a rise. After years of decline, the number of cases involving child welfare and custody disputes has increased, prompting the court to consider re-establishing a fourth family senate. This trend underscores the growing demand for family law services and the court's need to adapt its resources accordingly.

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If you look at it on a timeline, we have reached the lowest levels since 2027.

The OLG's annual report reflects a court actively managing its caseload, successfully reducing backlogs in civil matters while preparing to address the increasing volume in family law. The court's ability to adapt to changing legal landscapes, from environmental litigation to family disputes, is crucial for its continued effective operation.

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A not insignificant part of the 1,044 from last year are still other waves of lawsuits.