Rechtmäßige

Rechtmäßige is the inflected form of the German adjective rechtmäßig, meaning lawful, legitimate, or in accordance with the law. It is used to describe actions, statuses, or procedures that conform to applicable legal norms, statutes, and formal requirements. Examples include die rechtmäßige Behörde (the lawful authority) or rechtmäßige Ansprüche (legitimate claims). The form rechtmäßige appears with feminine singular nouns in nominative or accusative case, and with plural nouns in various cases, according to standard German adjective inflection.

Etymology: The adjective is built from Recht (law, right) plus the suffix -mäßig, which marks that something is in a manner or with characteristics related to law. The related noun rechtmäßigkeit denotes legality or the state of being legal.

Usage and nuance: In legal usage, rechtmäßig emphasizes conformity with codified norms rather than moral justification. It is often contrasted with rechtswidrig (illegal) or unrechtmäßig (unlawful or unjust). The terms rechtlich and rechtmäßig can overlap, but rechtlich addresses legal aspects more broadly, while rechtmäßig stresses compliance with the law itself. The word is common in civil, administrative, and criminal contexts when evaluating acts, decisions, or statuses.

See also: Rechtmäßigkeit; Rechtsstaat; Rechtswidrigkeit; Unrecht.