Verstößen

Verstößen is the present-tense or plural form of the German verb verstoßen, meaning to violate or infringe. In everyday and legal language, the noun form Verstöße (plural) is used to denote breaches, violations, or infringements of rules, duties, or norms. The concept can apply to civil, administrative, or contractual contexts, as well as to criminal law in less formal phrasing.

In legal usage, Verstöße describe non-criminal breaches of rules or obligations. They are often contrasted with Verbrechen (crimes) and Vergehen (misdemeanors), which denote more serious offenses, and with Ordnungswidrigkeiten (administrative offenses), which are typically sanctioned by fines or administrative penalties rather than criminal punishment. Verstöße can therefore encompass a wide range of violations, from minor regulatory infractions to breaches of contractual duties.

Common examples include Verstöße gegen Verkehrsregeln, Verstöße gegen Datenschutzvorschriften, or Verstöße gegen vertragliche Pflichten. In business and compliance contexts, firms monitor for Verstöße against internal policies or external regulations and may impose disciplinary measures or seek remedies in civil proceedings.

Consequences of Verstöße vary by jurisdiction and the severity of the breach. They can include fines, warnings, or corrective actions under administrative law, and damages or contract termination under civil law. The term remains widely used across German-speaking countries to describe breaches of legal duties, guidelines, or agreements, conveying the notion of a breach without necessarily implying criminality. See also Verstöße, Verstoß, Vertragsverletzung, and Ordnungswidrigkeit.