Justice - No women at the head of the higher courts
Women's representation among the presidents of the five Hessian Higher Courts is zero. At the Oberlandesgericht (OLG) and Labor Court in Frankfurt, the Finanzgericht and Administrative Court of Appeals in Kassel, and the Landessozialgericht in Darmstadt, men are in charge. According to an answer from Hessian Justice Minister Christian Heinz (CDU) to a Green opposition inquiry in the Wiesbaden Landtag, two of the five Higher Courts have a Vice President: the OLG Frankfurt and the Labor Court.
As of April 30, 2024, men predominantly hold the leading positions at the first-instance courts, such as the District and Regional Courts. However, women are in the majority among the judges in the Hessian labor courts. The same is true for all judicial positions in the federal state.
Minister Heinz informed the German Press Agency: "It is very pleasing that the interest in law studies and higher service in the justice system remains great among women as well as among men." The current occupancy of the leading positions reflects "the situation in past hiring and the insufficient compatibility of family and work at the time." The CDU politician added: "A lot has been done since then, and I am very optimistic that it will not only lead to more female judges but also to an increasing number of female court presidents."
More women than men at state exams
According to Justice Minister Heinz's answer to the Green inquiry, in Hessen, between 2013 and 2022, there were significantly more women than men who applied for both legal state exams. However, men received the "predicat exams" (with at least 9 out of a maximum of 18 points in the evaluation) more frequently.
At the Second State Exam, for example, on average, 18.2% of female candidates and 22.7% of male candidates received a predicat exam. This is desirable because it opens the door to large law firms or the civil service and often results in a higher starting salary.
In their small inquiry to the black-red state government, three Green Landtag members, including the former Vice Minister-President Tarek Al-Wazir, referred to Article 3 of the Basic Law: "The state promotes the actual implementation of equality between women and men and works towards the elimination of existing disadvantages."
- Despite the fact that more women than men apply for legal state exams in Hesse between 2013 and 2022, men tend to receive the "predicat exams" more frequently.
- According to the Regional Labor Court in Wiesbaden, only men hold the leading positions in the Oberlandesgericht (OLG) and Labor Court in Frankfurt, the Finanzgericht and Administrative Court of Appeals in Kassel, and the Landessozialgericht in Darmstadt.
- Minister Heinz stated that women are in the majority among the judges in the Hessian labor courts, which is true for all judicial positions in the federal state.
- The CDU politician, Christian Heinz, explained that the current occupancy of the leading positions reflects the situation in past hiring and the insufficient compatibility of family and work at the time.
- The German Press Agency was informed by Minister Heinz that the interest in law studies and higher service in the justice system remains great among women as well as among men in Hesse.
- The Wiesbaden State Parliament received an answer from Justice Minister Heinz, where he mentioned that two of the five Higher Courts have a Vice President: the OLG Frankfurt and the Labor Court.
- Three Green Landtag members, including the former Vice Minister-President Tarek Al-Wazir, referred to Article 3 of the Basic Law in their small inquiry to the black-red state government, stating that the state should promote equality between women and men and work towards eliminating existing disadvantages.
