Klaus Tolksdorf
Encyclopedia
Klaus Tolksdorf is a German
law scientist and the president of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany
as well as an Ad-Litem
-Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
.
on November 14, 1948. After getting the Abitur
in Wiesbaden
in June 1967 he became a police officer in North Rhine-Westphalia
until 1970 before he started studying law at the University of Bonn
between 1969 and 1974. After that he had his judicial traineeship, the so called “Referendariat” at the Higher Regional Court of Cologne
(“Landgericht”). It began in 1975 and ended in 1978.
Following his second German state exam in law in Düsseldorf
1978 he became a judge in civil and criminal law at the regional court of Bonn
until 1979. Between 1979 and 1982 he was a lecturer in law at the institute for criminal law of the University of Münster
. Afterwards he became a judge in civil law at the regional court of Münster.
During 1985 and 1988 he worked at the 6th civil panel of the German Federal Court of Justice and later at the local president office. 1988 he did his doctoral degree and he became a judge at the higher regional court (“Oberlandesgericht”) of Hamm
as well. Then he worked as a research assistant at the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany
(“Bundesverfassungsgericht”) until 1991. Since 1992 he is a judge at the Federal Court of Justice. Initially he was just as a member of the criminal panel (jurisdiction for general criminal law and motoring crimes), since 1994 he was a member of the penal for notary law until 1997 as well, since 1995 he was a member of the grand panel for criminal law until 2005 and finally he was a judge in the office of the president.
He is teaching criminal law and criminal procedure law at the faculty of law of the university of Münster since 1994, too. There he became a honorary professor
in 1999. In 2001 he was appointed as a presiding judge of the 3rd criminal panel of the Federal Court of Justice (jurisdiction for general criminal law and crimes against the state). Since 2004 he is also a German member of the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) of Eurojust. He became the chairman of the JSB in 2007, too. Furthermore he was elected as an Ad-Litem-Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2005. Since February 2008 he is additionally the president of the German Federal Court of Justice.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
law scientist and the president of the Federal Court of Justice of Germany
Federal Court of Justice of Germany
The Federal Court of Justice of Germany in Karlsruhe is the highest court in the system of ordinary jurisdiction in Germany. It is the supreme court in all matters of criminal and private law...
as well as an Ad-Litem
Ad litem
Ad litem is a term used in law to refer to a party appointed by a court to act in a lawsuit on behalf of another party—for instance, a child or an incapacitated adult—who is deemed incapable of representing him or herself...
-Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
.
Life
Tolksdorf was born in GelsenkirchenGelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
on November 14, 1948. After getting the Abitur
Abitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
in Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
in June 1967 he became a police officer in North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
until 1970 before he started studying law at the University of Bonn
University of Bonn
The University of Bonn is a public research university located in Bonn, Germany. Founded in its present form in 1818, as the linear successor of earlier academic institutions, the University of Bonn is today one of the leading universities in Germany. The University of Bonn offers a large number...
between 1969 and 1974. After that he had his judicial traineeship, the so called “Referendariat” at the Higher Regional Court of Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
(“Landgericht”). It began in 1975 and ended in 1978.
Following his second German state exam in law in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
1978 he became a judge in civil and criminal law at the regional court of Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
until 1979. Between 1979 and 1982 he was a lecturer in law at the institute for criminal law of the University of Münster
University of Münster
The University of Münster is a public university located in the city of Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. The WWU is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, a society of Germany's leading research universities...
. Afterwards he became a judge in civil law at the regional court of Münster.
During 1985 and 1988 he worked at the 6th civil panel of the German Federal Court of Justice and later at the local president office. 1988 he did his doctoral degree and he became a judge at the higher regional court (“Oberlandesgericht”) of Hamm
Hamm
Hamm is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia , Germany. It is located in the northeastern part of the Ruhr area. As of December 2003 its population was 180,849. The city is situated between the A1 motorway and A2 motorway...
as well. Then he worked as a research assistant at the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany
Federal Constitutional Court of Germany
The Federal Constitutional Court is a special court established by the Grundgesetz, the German basic law...
(“Bundesverfassungsgericht”) until 1991. Since 1992 he is a judge at the Federal Court of Justice. Initially he was just as a member of the criminal panel (jurisdiction for general criminal law and motoring crimes), since 1994 he was a member of the penal for notary law until 1997 as well, since 1995 he was a member of the grand panel for criminal law until 2005 and finally he was a judge in the office of the president.
He is teaching criminal law and criminal procedure law at the faculty of law of the university of Münster since 1994, too. There he became a honorary professor
Honorary title (academic)
Honorary titles in academia may be conferred on persons in recognition of contributions by a non-employee or by an employee beyond regular duties...
in 1999. In 2001 he was appointed as a presiding judge of the 3rd criminal panel of the Federal Court of Justice (jurisdiction for general criminal law and crimes against the state). Since 2004 he is also a German member of the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) of Eurojust. He became the chairman of the JSB in 2007, too. Furthermore he was elected as an Ad-Litem-Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2005. Since February 2008 he is additionally the president of the German Federal Court of Justice.