Criminal defence at the Bonn Local Court (Amtsgericht Bonn)
The Bonn Local Court is the central criminal court for the city of Bonn and its immediate surroundings. Anyone who receives a summons, a penalty order or an indictment to the Bonn Local Court should seek legal advice early. Attorney Philip Bafteh defends accused persons before the Bonn Local Court.
Jurisdiction
For criminal matters, the Bonn Local Court has jurisdiction, among others, for the city of Bonn and for Bornheim, Alfter and Wachtberg. The charges are brought by the Bonn public prosecutor.
Composition of the court and procedure
Depending on the seriousness of the allegation, the single criminal judge (generally where the expected sentence is up to two years) or the lay-assessor court (with two lay judges) decides. For juveniles and young adults, the juvenile judge and juvenile lay-assessor court have jurisdiction.
Directions and access
Bonn Local Court (Amtsgericht Bonn), Wilhelmstraße 21, 53111 Bonn. Allow enough time for the security check at the entrance and bring a valid form of identification.
Conduct on the day of the hearing
Arrive on time, have your summons and ID ready and pass the entrance check in good time. Do not make any statement on the matter without legal counsel – not even in conversations in the corridor or with co-defendants.
Frequently asked questions
Which panel decides my case? At the local court, either the single judge or the lay-assessor court decides, depending on the expected sentence. More serious cases are heard at first instance before the Bonn Regional Court.
Can I appeal against a judgment? Against a judgment of the local court, an appeal on fact and law to the Bonn Regional Court or an appeal on points of law is possible. The deadline to lodge it is one week from pronouncement of the judgment.
Have you received a summons to the Bonn Local Court (Amtsgericht Bonn)? Get in touch – we will review your case and the next steps.
Note: This information is general and does not replace advice in an individual case.
File access
A sound defence begins with access to the file. Through your defence lawyer, access to the investigation file is requested (§ 147 StPO); only once the file content is known can a meaningful decision on a statement be taken. We obtain and evaluate the file access for you.
Court-appointed defence
Where the requirements of mandatory defence are met (§ 140 StPO) – for example a felony, custody matters or a difficult factual or legal situation – we apply for your assignment of a court-appointed defender; you have a right to propose counsel (§ 142 StPO). See our page on court-appointed defence in Bonn.
Appeals and complaints
Against judgments, an appeal on fact and law or on points of law is available depending on the instance; the deadline to lodge it is one week from pronouncement. Against orders such as an arrest warrant, a complaint is available (§ 304 StPO). We assess the prospects and observe the deadlines.
Parking and directions
Allow enough time for the journey and parking; public parking is generally available near the courts. Arrive in good time before the hearing to pass the entrance check.