Oberlandesgericht Köln

The Oberlandesgericht Köln (Higher Regional Court of Cologne) is a German appellate court responsible for hearing appeals from lower courts in civil and criminal cases within its jurisdiction. It's currently newsworthy due to its involvement in two high-profile cases. First, it rejected Hanno Berger's request for a retrial in the Cum-Ex scandal, meaning he will continue serving his sentence. Berger was a key figure in the Cum-Ex scheme, a complex tax fraud. Second, the court is overseeing a class-action lawsuit related to a Facebook data leak affecting millions of German users. The court has suggested a settlement between consumer advocates and Meta, potentially leading to compensation for the affected individuals. These cases highlight the court's role in addressing complex financial crimes and data privacy issues with significant implications for individuals and businesses in Germany.