geltendem

Geltendem is the dative singular masculine or neuter form of the German adjective geltend, used to mean that something is in force or applicable. The adjective derives from the verb gelten, which means to be valid, to apply, or to be in effect. In legal and regulatory language geltend is often employed as a predicate or attributive adjective to describe laws, regulations, or rules that currently govern a situation.

In usage, geltendem appears primarily in phrases that indicate applicability under a specific set of laws or rules. It is most commonly found with definite articles or other determiners, which trigger weak inflection of the adjective. For example, nach dem geltenden Recht means under the applicable law, and mit dem geltenden Gesetz means with the law currently in force. The form kann also appear as dem geltenden Recht or unter dem geltenden Recht, depending on the syntactic role in the sentence. The base form geltend can thus yield several inflected forms such as geltendes, geltende, geltenden, and geltendem, in accordance with case, gender, and definiteness.

In legal drafting, geltend is contrasted with historisch oder zukünftiges Recht to distinguish what is currently in effect from past or prospective rules. The concept as a whole emphasizes that rights, obligations, and interpretations are determined by the law that is presently applicable, rather than by older or non-binding standards. The term is thus a key element in formulations that aim to anchor arguments in the current legal framework.

See also: geltendes Recht (the applicable law), geltende Vorschriften, Rechtsordnung.