Criminal defence at the Cologne Regional Court (Landgericht Köln)
The Cologne Regional Court hears serious criminal cases at first instance and is the appellate court for the local courts in its district. Attorney Philip Bafteh defends accused persons before the Cologne Regional Court.
Jurisdiction
The Cologne Regional Court has first-instance jurisdiction for more serious offences and decides on appeals against judgments of the local courts in its district. The charges are brought by the Cologne public prosecutor.
Composition of the court and procedure
Cases are decided by the large and small criminal chambers, in homicide cases by the assize court, in economic crime cases by the economic crime chambers, and for young defendants by the juvenile chamber. The sentence enforcement chamber decides on questions of enforcement.
Directions and access
Cologne Regional Court (Landgericht Köln), Luxemburger Straße 101, 50939 Köln. 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? Before the Cologne Regional Court, the criminal chambers decide – for particularly serious offences the assize court. Appeals against local court judgments are heard by the small criminal chamber.
Can I appeal against a judgment? Against a first-instance judgment of the Cologne Regional Court, an appeal on points of law to the Federal Court of Justice or the Cologne Higher Regional Court is possible; the deadline is one week.
Have you received a summons to the Cologne Regional Court (Landgericht Köln)? 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.