unrechtmäßig

Unrechtmäßig is an adjective in the German language that describes something that is not in accordance with the law or with recognized notions of justice. It is used to label acts, claims, or situations that lack a legitimate legal basis or are morally or legally wrongful. In everyday and legal language it can be translated as “illegal,” “unlawful,” or “not legally warranted.”

In legal contexts unrechtmäßig often appears together with phrases such as unrechtmäßige Bereicherung (unlawful enrichment), unrechtmäßige Handlung (unlawful act) or unrechtmäßige Zuwendung (unlawful grant). The term is commonly paired with the contrast term rechtmäßig (lawful) and is closely related to rechtswidrig, another term for legally wrong or in violation of the law. While unrechtmäßig emphasizes a lack of rightful basis, rechtswidrig emphasizes a breach of legal norms; in practice they are frequently used as synonyms.

Etymologically, unrechtmäßig is formed from un- (negation) and rechtmäßig (lawful, legitimate), where recht derives from Recht (law, right) and -mäßig is a suffix that turns adjectives into characteristics or qualities. The word is predominantly used in formal, administrative, or judicial contexts, though it also appears in public discourse to condemn actions lacking legal sanction or fairness.

See also related concepts such as Recht, Rechtmäßigkeit, Rechtswidrigkeit and unberechtigt, which describe various dimensions of legality and entitlement.