A letter from a court

What this letter is

Court letters arrive from a „Gericht“ — commonly an Amtsgericht. They may concern a debt, a tenancy, a fine, or a case brought against you.

A yellow envelope („Zustellungsurkunde“) means formal service: the date of delivery is recorded, and legal periods are counted from that date. Note the date written on the envelope and keep it.

Why to get help with this one

Court periods are short and missing one can decide a case without your side being heard. This is not a letter to set aside until you have time.

For a letter of this kind, get help from a person rather than acting alone. A Migrationsberatung (migration counselling service), a Sozialberatung, a Verbraucherzentrale, or a lawyer can read the actual letter and tell you what your options are. Many of these services are free.

The deadline that applies to you is printed on your own letter — usually near the top or at the end of the section describing what you must do. Look for a date, or a phrase such as „innerhalb von zwei Wochen“ (within two weeks) or „bis zum“ (by). Do not rely on a period you read online, including here: the same letter type carries different deadlines depending on why it was sent.