Verwaltungsgerichtsgesetz

Verwaltungsgerichtsgesetz, abbreviated VwGO, is the German federal law that governs the procedures before administrative courts (Verwaltungsgerichte) in Germany. It provides the procedural framework for disputes in public law between private individuals or entities and public authorities, including how cases are brought, processed, and decided. The act covers the organization and powers of the courts, the status of parties and representatives, time limits, form and service of documents, and the rules governing evidence, oral hearings, and judgments.

The VwGO outlines the main forms of action used to challenge or resolve public-law disputes. Common actions include the Anfechtungsklage (challenge to an administrative act), the Verpflichtungsklage (claim for issuing or performing a public act), and the Feststellungsklage (declaratory relief regarding rights or the legal status). It also regulates interim or provisional relief, such as immediate suspensive effects or temporary measures in urgent cases.

Procedural steps under the VwGO typically begin with the filing of a complaint at the Verwaltungsgericht, naming the public authority as the defendant. The proceedings determine questions of jurisdiction, admissibility, and the admissibility of evidence, and they may involve oral hearings and Beweisaufnahme. The court issues a decision in the form of a judgment, which can usually be appealed to a higher administrative court (Oberverwaltungsgericht or Verwaltungsgerichtshof) and, on points of law, to the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht).

The VwGO interacts with other public-law statutes and forms part of the broader body of German administrative law. It aims to ensure fair, efficient, and predictable judicial review of administrative actions.