Sources and method – Citizens and Authorities

All statements come from the sources listed below (retrieved 20 September 2026). Uncertain points are stated openly.

Sources

1. gesetze-im-internet.de: VwVfG (§§ 25, 28, 29, 31, 32, 39, 41, 80), VwGO (§§ 58, 60, 67, 68, 70, 74, 75, 80, 166), SGG (§§ 66, 67, 73, 73a, 78, 84, 86a, 87, 88, 183), SGB X (§§ 24, 25, 37, 44, 63, 83), IFG (§§ 1, 7, 10, 12), IFGGebV (§ 1 and annex), BerHG (§§ 1, 2, 6, 12), RVG (Annex 1, Nos. 2500 to 2503), ZPO (§ 114), GG (Art. 17).
2. dsgvo-gesetz.de: Art. 12 and Art. 15 DSGVO (full-text reproduction of the regulation).
3. Deutscher Bundestag, Petitionsausschuss (Petitions Committee): general notes on the petition procedure; epetitionen.bundestag.de.
4. BfDI (bfdi.bund.de): complaints to data protection authorities, competence of the BfDI, right of access.
5. Secondary sources on the objection procedure in the Länder (Niedersächsisches Ministerium für Inneres und Sport; search results, including dijuf.de).
6. State law (not checked in full text, mostly secondary sources): BayVwVfG, VwVfG NRW, VwVfG Bln, AGVwGO (Bavaria), JustG NRW, BayDSG, IFG NRW, IFG Bln, BayPetG.

Uncertain points

• Objection procedure in administrative law: North Rhine-Westphalia (§ 110 JustG NRW), Lower Saxony (§ 8a Nds. AG VwGO) and Bavaria (Art. 12 AGVwGO, objection optional only in listed areas), Berlin (objection is the rule) checked; the other Länder not checked individually. The instructions on legal remedies are what counts.
• Court and administrative fees in administrative procedure (GKG, cost schedules of the Länder): amounts not checked and therefore not stated.
• Right of access and freedom of information towards state and municipal authorities: only Bavaria, NRW and Berlin addressed (BayDSG, IFG NRW, IFG Bln), not checked in full text; 13 Länder not checked. The federal IFG applies only to federal authorities.
• Administrative procedure acts of the Länder (BayVwVfG, VwVfG NRW, VwVfG Bln): only BY, NRW, BE, not checked in full text.
• Please check the official full text for deadlines and figures.
• Not covered: tax procedure (AO, FGO), administrative fine procedure, immigration law, civil service law, professional chamber and school law.

What this platform does – and what it does not

These pages give clear information on procedure before authorities and name legal bases, deadlines and nationwide points of contact. They are no substitute for legal advice under the Rechtsdienstleistungsgesetz (Legal Services Act) and do not assess any individual case. No personal data is stored. If a deadline is running, contact a lawyer or a recognised advice centre quickly.