An ''Oberlandesgericht'' (plural – ''Oberlandesgerichte''; OLG, en, Higher Regional Court, or in Berlin ''

Kammergericht The Kammergericht (KG) is the ''Oberlandesgericht'', the highest state court, for the city-state of Berlin, Germany. As an ordinary court according to the German Courts Constitution Act (''Gerichtsverfassungsgesetz''), it deals with criminal a ...

'': KG) is a higher court in Germany. There are 24 OLGs in Germany and they deal with civil and criminal matters. They are positioned above state courts ( ''Landgerichte'') and below the Federal Court of Justice (''Bundesgerichtshof''), in family and child law above the district courts ('' Amtsgericht'') and below the Federal Court of Justice. In the ''Oberlandesgerichte'', the offices of the ''Generalstaatsanwaltschaft'' or district attorney general are located. In criminal cases that are under primary jurisdiction of the Federal Court of Justice (i.e., cases concerning national security), the Oberlandesgerichte act as branches of the Federal Court of Justice, that is, as "lower federal courts" (''Untere Bundesgerichte''). As pe
§ 120
, OLGs have original jurisdiction (''Erstinstanz'') over crimes against public international law under the Völkerstrafgesetzbuch ( genocide,

crimes against humanity Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the ...

, and war crimes). This includes trials under universal jurisdiction (that were committed by non-Germans outside of Germany). The OLG Düsseldorf is one of the most popular patent trial forums for patentees in Europe.IPEG blog
''New president Patent Division Düsseldorf Appeal Court''
January 11, 2008. The ''Oberlandesgerichte'' were first set up in the

German Empire The German Empire (),Herbert Tuttle wrote in September 1881 that the term "Reich" does not literally connote an empire as has been commonly assumed by English-speaking people. The term literally denotes an empire – particularly a hereditary ...

by the Courts Constitution Act of 27 January 1877. In Prussia, there had been ''Oberlandesgerichte'' as the higher provincial courts since 1808, known as ''Regierung'' from 1723 to 1808.

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{{Authority control Courts in Germany 1877 establishments in Germany 1808 establishments in Prussia Courts and tribunals established in 1877 Courts and tribunals established in 1808