Welcome to Federal Court of Justice
The Grand Ducal Palace in Karlsruhe is the official residence of the President of the **Federal Court of Justice**. It is the highest court in the Federal Republic of Germany in the area of ordinary jurisdiction and thus the court of last resort in civil and criminal proceedings. The **Federal Court of Justice (BGH)** was founded on October 1, 1950, and is the court of last resort in civil and criminal proceedings in Germany. The BGH mainly decides on appeals against judgments of the regional courts and higher regional courts. Like any court of appeal, it does not, as a rule, take evidence, but merely decides whether the judgment of the regional or higher regional court is based on legal errors. In addition to President Bettina Limperg, 128 judges work at the Federal Court of Justice, including 17 presiding judges. They exercise their judicial functions in the twelve civil senates, the five criminal senates, the eight special senates, and as investigating judges.
Since its foundation, the Federal Court of Justice has been located on the approximately four-hectare site of the **former Grand Ducal Palace**, which is located in the southwest of Karlsruhe's city center. Built at the end of the 19th century, the palace also houses the largest **court library in Germany** and a **legal history museum**.
On the ground floor stands a 2.40-meter-high triangular stele made of gilded brass as a memorial to the victims of Nazi justice. It bears the two inscriptions "Justice exalts a nation" (Book of Proverbs 14:34) and "In memory of the women and men who suffered injustice in the name of the German people." The stele was designed by graphic artist and designer Otl Aicher, brother-in-law of Hans and Sophie Scholl, who were executed in 1943 by the People's Court for their resistance to the Nazi regime. Further information is available from the [Federal Court of Justice](http://www.bundesgerichtshof.de).
**Tip** **If you register in advance, you can experience the Federal Court of Justice from a completely different perspective as part of a guided tour.**
Source: DZT Knowledge Graph
