Law

To balance the competing interests of creditors and debtors and to reduce potential hardship caused by the general statute of limitations for civil claims in German law (§§ 195, 199 German Civil Code), the courts have introduced a reasonableness test. The statute of limitations only begins if the creditor can reasonably be expected to sue the debtor to enforce his or her claim. In this thesis, the author examines and systemizes the intricate case law that has developed around this notion of reasonableness in the law of limitations.

On the occasion of his 70th birthday, this volume brings together contributions by Wolfgang Ernst's companions and colleagues from various countries. Written in three languages, they address topics from all periods of European legal history and numerous legal systems, with a particular focus on civil law.

The recognition of rights of nature shapes environmental law debates worldwide. Its weaknesses emerge in balancing species and climate protection during renewable energy expansion. Collective actions by associations (Verbandsklagen) offer a more coherent alternative.

German procedural law restricts the parties' power to compel the other party to disclose information. In contrast, the EU legislator has created numerous new disclosure obligations, which the author analyzes comprehensively and describes systematically in this work.