Voluntary judges in Greifswald: Heart of a just process!

Voluntary judges in Greifswald: Heart of a just process!

In the current debate about the role of volunteer judges in Germany, a topic is becoming increasingly important: the search for new lay judges and volunteer judges in Greifswald. Wilfried Böhme, a 77-year-old lay judge who has been working on the administrative court in Greifswald for 17 years, has just worked on a case that heats the minds. The 16-year-old student who sued the police was brought out of class after publishing xenophobic slogans in a video. The student's mother perceives the police operation as disproportionate, and Böhme experienced on the day of the trial that the exact backgrounds often come on the table shortly before the negotiation, as ndr.

"A volunteering with responsibility" - this is how Böhme describes his role as a lay judge. Every day he not only brings life experience, but also a valuable say in the legal decision -making. In the current procedure it emerged that milder measures as the immediate exclusion of lessons would have been conceivable for the student. The presiding judge, Harald Hünecke, emphasizes the indispensability of volunteer judges for the representation of the people. It becomes clear that the work of the lay judges is an important voice in German case law.

The search for volunteers

But how do you become a volunteer judge? In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the search for lay judges is described as less complicated, while the recruitment of volunteer judges has more challenges. The Administrative Court and the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in Greifswald are currently looking for new volunteer judges for the election period 2025 to 2030. Applications are still possible until February 21. [DIE ZEIT] (https://www.zeit.de/news/2025-01/23/ administration law-greifswalder-gerichte-suchen-schoeffen) explains that volunteer judges play a significant role in administrative jurisdiction, since they participate in the oral negotiations as part of the judge.

The prerequisites for the office are clear: you have to own German citizenship, be at least 25 years old and live in the court district. In view of the challenges with which the courts are confronted, it is more important than ever to find people who are willing to volunteer for the community.

The importance of volunteering

The case of Wilfried Böhme shows that the volunteer judges not only act as a form of justice, but also as a mediator between the law and society. According to his words, the task of the lay judge is "a totally exciting task", and it remains to be hoped that many other citizens: inside are ready to face this challenge.