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How are administrative courts organized in Germany?

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Germany maintains a specialized, three-level system of administrative courts designed to provide judicial review of government actions.12

Structure of the Administrative Court System

The organization of these courts is divided between the federal and state levels:

Lower Administrative Courts: Located within the individual states, or Länder, these courts handle disputes concerning the acts of state administrative authorities and complaints against federal officers stationed within those states.1
Superior Administrative Courts: These serve as the appellate level for the lower administrative courts within the Länder.1
Federal Administrative Court: This is the highest court for administrative matters. It primarily functions as a court of appeals for cases originating in the superior administrative courts. In specific instances, such as disputes between the federation and the Länder or cases involving the Federal Intelligence Service, it acts as a court of first and last instance.1

While this system handles most public law disputes, it is distinct from the ordinary civil courts, which retain exclusive jurisdiction to award damages against government officials or the executive branch.1