The Local Germany

Man cites Christian faith for kidnapping children

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:05:00 +0100

A 38-year-old German man who kidnapped his four children and took them to North Africa last year told a court Tuesday that his Christian beliefs drove him to the crime. He remains unrepentant.

Court rules against pet visitation rights

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:55:00 +0100

Germans who have legally separated do not have the right to visit the pets they shared with their spouses, a court said Wednesday, rejecting the complaint of a dejected wife.

In the name of the father

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:09:00 +0200

German men have become the weaker sex. Not even the Constitutional Court decision opening the way for unmarried fathers to gain joint custody of their children can change that. But that doesn’t make fathers any less important, writes Tissy Bruns from Der Tagesspiegel.

Custody rights for unwed fathers strengthened

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:50:00 +0200

Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that the law denying unwed fathers custody rights to their children without the mother’s permission is unconstitutional, opening the way for automatic joint custody.

EU court rules German custody laws discriminate against fathers

Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:24:00 +0100

German child custody laws discriminate against single fathers and should be changed, the European Court of Human Rights ruled on Thursday.