Landgericht Köln

The court's jurisdiction covers the independent cities of Cologne and Leverkusen, the Rheinisch-Bergische and Rhein-Erft districts, and the Oberbergischer Kreis — excluding the municipalities of Waldbröl, Morsbach, Nümbrecht, and Reichshof. Subordinate courts include the district courts of Bergheim, Bergisch Gladbach, Brühl, Gummersbach, Kerpen, Cologne, Leverkusen, Wermelskirchen, and Wipperfürth.

When personal rights (Persönlichkeitsrechte) are at stake, plaintiffs frequently turn to this chamber. The "flying venue" rule under § 32 of the German Code of Civil Procedure allows plaintiffs to choose their court, making Cologne an attractive destination. When balancing personal rights against freedom of the press, the court sides with personal rights more often than its peers; in urgent cases it sometimes issues injunctions without first hearing the press side. In journalistic circles, the chamber has earned a reputation as the strictest in the country.

Several rulings at the Landgericht Köln have attracted attention well beyond the region. In 1963 the court addressed the question of whether Kölsch beer must come from Cologne. In 2012 it classified circumcision as unlawful. In 2013 it dealt with a wave of cease-and-desist letters targeting online streaming users.

The name Landgericht Köln has been in use since 1820. In what was then the Prussian Rhine Province, French court organisation remained in force; appeals went to the Appellate Court of Cologne, and the subordinate courts bore the name Landgericht. Among those who presided here was Konrad Adenauer, who served as an assistant judge from December 1905 to the end of March 1906.