Judicial district

A judicial district or legal district denotes the territorial area for which a legal court (law) has jurisdiction.

By region

Europe

Austria

In Austria, a legal district (Gerichtsbezirk) is the smallest area of a District court. A political district (a Verwaltungsbezirk) may include several judicial districts, a district court, however, never extends over more than a political district. In Austria, there were 141 judicial districts in 2007, but a further merging is repeatedly discussed. (See also: Court Organization in Austria, also in German Wikipedia: Gerichtsorganisation in Österreich).

Germany

In Germany, ordinary Gerichtsbarkeit courts are the smallest districts of those courts. There are superior court districts, which usually have several legal districts forming a regional district. Accordingly, the relationship between regional districts and the Oberlandesgericht is designed. To speak of a legal district of the Federal Court is superfluous, because that district would include the entire federal territory.