Foreword: Plea Bargaining in Germany after the Decision of the Federal Constitutional Court

Abstract

Criminal procedure is most critical for the rights of the accused. It does not surprise that criminal procedural issues often give rise to constitutional complaints by convicted persons. Yet far beyond the ordinary cases, the latest opinion of the Federal Constitutional Justices on the constitutionality of the so-called deal-proceedings according to § 257c of the German Criminal Procedure Code (StPO) has caused much attention. The constitutional complaints, which kicked off the proceedings in Karlsruhe, forced the Justices to address the very basis of criminal procedure, its structure and traditional foundations. The decision of 19 March 2013, however, testifies the disunity amongst the justices and their anxiety not to trigger a stampede in the criminal justice system. Even if the outcome is rather unspectacular, the decision is nevertheless one of the most important and fundamental judicial documents concerning criminal procedure of the last years. Because of the centrality of the issue and its relevance also for comparative criminal law, we have decided to provide this topic with the broad room it deserves and put together a special issue on the “deal-decision” of the German Federal Constitutional Court.