Johanna Weißbach

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Precedential ruling for mass claims introduced at Germany’s highest court

Nov 11, 2024 | pinsentmasons.com | Johanna Weißbach |Aleesha Way |Andrew Mitchell

The Act introducing a precedential ruling procedure at the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) was promulgated in the Federal Law Gazette on 30 October and entered into force the day after. The BGH has already made use of the new law: on 31 October, it selected a data protection case as the first lead case. Mass proceedings involve a large number of individual lawsuits in identical or similar cases.
Introduction of commercial courts and commercial chambers approaching in Germany

Oct 17, 2024 | pinsentmasons.com | Carlo Schick |Johanna Weißbach |Aleesha Way |Alexander Karst

The new law authorises the German federal states to set up specialised courts for commercial matters (commercial courts and commercial chambers), where proceedings can be held in English. The aim is to prepare courts for negotiations in international commercial disputes and to strengthen Germany as a centre of justice and reduce the transfer of commercial disputes to private arbitration tribunals and foreign commercial courts.
Precedential ruling for mass claims to be introduced at Germany’s highest court

Oct 4, 2024 | pinsentmasons.com | Johanna Weißbach |Aleesha Way |Andrew Mitchell |Attila Bangha-Szabo

The German Bundestag has adopted the federal government's bill to introduce a precedential ruling procedure at the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) with minor amendments. Mass proceedings involve a large number of individual lawsuits in identical or similar cases. The steadily increasing number of such mass actions, for example in the areas of delayed flights and data protection, has been a burden on the German judiciary for years.
Federal Ministry of Justice reacts to the BGH's ruling on fee increases by banks

Nov 24, 2023 | pinsentmasons.com | Johanna Weißbach |Aleesha Way |Alexander Karst

Until a judgement by the Federal Court of Justice, it was common practice to make changes to general terms and conditions if the customer did not object within a certain period of time. In April 2021, the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruled that banks must have their customers' consent if they make changes to their GTCs. According to the BGH, amendment clauses without consent amount to a one-sided, unrestricted authorisation of the bank to make changes and are therefore invalid.
Dutch TikTok data protection class action claims falter

Nov 15, 2023 | pinsentmasons.com | Johanna Weißbach |Wouter Seinen |Adam Cain |Aleesha Way

In a recent ruling, the Court of Amsterdam said that where individual claims amount merely to claims for compensation for ‘immaterial damage’ and are disparate in nature, then those claims cannot be bundled together for the purposes of taking forward a mass claim in the Netherlands.
Germany adopts new mass actions regime

Oct 25, 2023 | pinsentmasons.com | Johanna Weißbach |Adam Cain |Aleesha Way

The German law transposing the directive became effective on 13 October. However, certain features of the national mass actions regime may dampen interest from commercial litigation funders, according to an expert in defending businesses against mass claims.
‘Forever chemicals’ a mounting litigation risk for businesses

Jun 19, 2023 | pinsentmasons.com | Jacqueline Harris |Johanna Weißbach

Businesses across sectors and throughout supply chains should consider the risk they are exposed to from growing scrutiny of ‘forever chemicals’ amidst increasing commentary about the potential harmful effects and the ongoing drive to restrict their use. Businesses should be aware of the growing issue and assess the risks involved for their operation.
Leitentscheidungen durch den BGH: Justizministerium veröffentlicht Gesetzesentwurf

Jun 15, 2023 | pinsentmasons.com | Johanna Weißbach

Bei Massenverfahren handelt es sich um eine große Anzahl von Einzelklagen in identisch oder ähnlich gelagerten Fällen, beispielsweise, wenn es um möglicherweise unwirksame Klauseln in Verträgen geht, die eine große Anzahl an Verbrauchern betreffen. Die stetig steigende Zahl solcher Massenverfahren überlastet die deutsche Justiz schon seit Jahren – immer wieder wurden Rufe nach Entlastung zum Beispiel durch ein Vorabentscheidungsverfahren vor dem Bundesgerichtshof (BGH) laut.
BGH entschiedet erneut über Zinsanpassungsklauseln von Prämiensparverträgen

Jan 30, 2023 | pinsentmasons.com | Carlo Schick |Johanna Weißbach |Aleesha Way |Andrea Clark

Das letzte Woche ergangene, allerdings noch unveröffentlichte Urteil des Bundesgerichthofes (BGH) bezieht sich auf einen Prämiensparvertrag der Sparkasse Vogtland, gegen den die Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen geklagt hatte. Bereits im Oktober 2021 hatte der BGH in einem ähnlichen Verfahren zu Sparverträgen der Sparkasse Leipzig entschieden, dass die verwendeten Zinsanpassungsklauseln unwirksam sind.