Bundesgerichtshof

Bundesgerichtshof 

The Bundesgerichtshof is Germany's highest court of general, i.e. civil and criminal, jurisdiction which, at the lower instances, is exercised by the local, regional and higher regional courts that come under the authority of the German federal states. Around 75 percent of all German judges are working in this field. The Staatsgerichtshof (State Court of Justice), which from 1920 had been integrated organizationally and in terms of personnel with the Reichsgericht, was replaced in 1934 by the infamous Volksgerichtshof (People's Court of Justice) which, under its president Roland Freisler, served as court of first and last instance in criminal proceedings staged to intimidate and liquidate opponents of the Nazi regime.