Anhörungsbogen erhalten

A written hearing notice (Anhörungsbogen) is sent by the police or an authority to give you, as the accused or affected person, the opportunity to comment. It states the allegation and asks you to comment on the matter. It is common in regulatory and fine proceedings, for example in traffic law, but also in criminal proceedings.

Do you have to fill it in?

Only the details about your person are mandatory: name, address and date of birth. You do not have to make any statement on the matter itself. Your right to remain silent applies here too and must not be held against you. Filling in the form prematurely commits you to a version and may hand the authorities arguments that cannot be corrected later.

Special note for traffic law

In fine proceedings the hearing notice often serves to identify the driver. You are not obliged to name yourself as the driver or to incriminate relatives. Here too: first know the file, then decide.

What you should do

Do not complete the hearing notice without careful thought. It is advisable to note the deadline, remain silent for now and seek legal advice. We file the defence, request access to the file and assess whether and how a statement serves your defence. Often a case can be favourably influenced or discontinued at this early stage. More on our page about the criminal defence lawyer in Bonn.

This information does not replace a review of the individual case. In criminal proceedings, the defence strategy depends substantially on the case file, the specific allegation and the evidence.