Rechtsordnung

Rechtsordnung is a German term that designates the legal order of a state—the comprehensive system of binding norms that regulate conduct, resolve disputes, and authorize public action. It encompasses constitutional rules, statutory laws, administrative regulations, judicial decisions (case law), and, where applicable, customary law and international agreements incorporated into domestic law. The Rechtsordnung provides the framework within which individuals, organizations, and authorities interact and is enforceable by courts and administrative agencies.

A central feature is the normative hierarchy. At the top stands the constitutional order, including fundamental rights. Below are statutory laws enacted by the legislature, followed by administrative regulations and decisions by courts that interpret and apply the rules. The Rechtsordnung relies on the principle that authorities act within the law (the rule of law, Rechtsstaat), demands legality, predictability, proportionality, and equality before the law, and separates powers among legislature, executive, and judiciary.

In practice, the Rechtsordnung is dynamic, evolving through new legislation, court decisions, and administrative practice. It interfaces with international and European law in jurisdictions that belong to international communities; international treaties and EU law may become part of the domestic legal order and, in some cases, prevail over conflicting national norms. The concept is used in German-speaking legal theory to analyze how norms fit together, how authority derives legitimacy, and how rights are protected within a legal system.