Hesse has now a dedicated venue for the adjudication of commercial disputes

Wiesbaden/Frankfurt. The Minister of Justice in Hesse, Christian Heinz, officially inaugurated together with the President of the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main, Dr Alexander Seitz, the Commercial Court and the Commercial Chambers Frankfurt in their new premises this Wednesday. “Frankfurt am Main is one of the world’s leading financial centres. It is also a significant centre for legal services, with numerous international law firms located there. With the Commercial Court and the Commercial Chambers, we are bringing both strengths together. We are creating an attractive offering for the business community while simultaneously providing an additional forum in Hesse for the conduct of extensive and complex commercial proceedings,” the Minister of Justice said, adding: “Hesse now has a fixed address for the hearing of commercial disputes. The Commercial Court and the Commercial Chambers expand the portfolio of our judiciary and strengthen Hesse as a business hub.”

Although the Commercial Court Frankfurt and the Commercial Chambers have already commenced their work in July 2025, they have opened their doors in a physical sense now. The new premises have been specifically designed to meet the needs of complex commercial disputes and to facilitate their swift and efficient handling. “The first matters filed with the Commercial Court demonstrate that these innovative adjudicatory bodies have already secured their place within our judicial system. The new, bright premises underscore the factual and functional working environment that the Commercial Court aims to cultivate. In addition to its central location, the Commercial Court in Frankfurt am Main is distinguished by the possibility of involving professionally trained mediator judges (Güterichter) acting in a conciliation capacity,” said Dr. Alexander Seitz, President of the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main.

The Commercial Court at the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main consists of two specialized commercial senates. Commercial disputes with an amount in dispute of at least EUR 500,000 may be heard at first instance before these senates if the parties have agreed to this; at the request of the parties, proceedings may also be conducted in English. If the parties do not choose to bring their case before the Commercial Court Frankfurt, such commercial disputes are heard before the specialized Commercial Chambers at the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main. At the Regional Court, three chambers for commercial matters and three civil chambers have been designated as Commercial Chambers.

The senates of the Commercial Court are chaired by Presiding Judge at the Higher Regional Court Ulrike Willoughby and Presiding Judge at the Higher Regional Court Jens-Daniel Braun. The Commercial Chambers are headed by Presiding Judge at the Regional Court Yvonne Countess von Bassewitz and Presiding Judge at the Regional Court Dr. Felix Bergmeister, LL.M. (University of Chicago).

“The centrally located new premises for proceedings before the Commercial Chambers are an excellent showcase for Frankfurt as a center of justice. Not only because of its geographical location and its transport and infrastructure, but above all due to its expertise in commercial law, Frankfurt is the right venue for major and international commercial disputes. I am pleased that proceedings before the Commercial Chambers at the Regional Court of Frankfurt have been very well received in the short time since their introduction,” said Prof. Dr Carsten Paul, President of the Regional Court of Frankfurt am Main.

The judges (a total of eleven judges serving on the Commercial Court and seven judges serving on the Commercial Chambers) possess many years of experience—partly also international—in the areas of law assigned to these panels, and in some cases prior professional experience in commercial law gained in private practice or other professional roles.