Law firm Sven Adam – The homepage of the law firm Sven Adam in Göttingen

Welcome

… on the website of the law firm Sven Adam in Göttingen.

Our work, which is generally carried out across regions, currently focuses on all areas of social law as well as criminal defense and private prosecution. In addition, we primarily practice in administrative law (especially police and public order law as well as assembly law).

currently unable to accept any new mandates. We therefore kindly ask you to refrain from contacting us regarding this matter at this time. This suspension of new mandates is expected to remain in effect until May 31, 2026.

Social law

In today's world, there are numerous situations and legal questions in which you may encounter the entire field of social law. This includes areas such as basic income support for job seekers (ALG II), employment promotion (including ALG I), BAföG (Federal Training Assistance Act), child benefit, parental allowance, child and youth welfare law, health insurance, accident insurance, long-term care insurance, pension insurance, and the law for severely disabled persons.

Useful links in the field of social law

Current problems in the area of the Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (Update 18.09.2025)
Power of attorney in social law (PDF)
Advice
Legal aid

Special sections on social law

Recent decisions in social law

16.04.2026Social Court Karlsruhe – Decision of 13 April 2026 – Case No.: S 12 AY 1004/26 ER
Legal norms: Section 3 Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG), Section 3a AsylbLG, Section 86b Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 Social Court Act (SGG) – Keywords: Standard benefit level 1, Standard benefit level 2, Benefit according to Section 3 AsylbLG, Benefit according to Section 3a AsylbLG, State of Baden-Württemberg, Social Court Karlsruhe
16.04.2026Social Court Ulm – Decision of April 10, 2026 – Case No.: S 18 AY 64/26
Legal norms: Section 88 SGG, Section 193 SGG – Keywords: Cost allocation following an action for failure to act, State of Baden-Württemberg, Ulm Social Court
16.04.2026Stuttgart Social Court – Decision of April 8, 2026 – Case No.: S 9 AY 854/26 ER
Legal norms: Section 3 Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG), Section 3a AsylbLG, Section 86b Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 Social Court Act (SGG) – Keywords: Standard benefit level 1, Standard benefit level 2, Benefit according to Section 3 AsylbLG, Benefit according to Section 3a AsylbLG, City of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Social Court
23.03.2026Stuttgart Social Court – Decision of March 18, 2026 – Case No.: S 11 AY 706/26 ER
Legal norms: Section 3 Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG), Section 3a AsylbLG, Section 86b Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 Social Court Act (SGG) – Keywords: Standard benefit level 1, Standard benefit level 2, Benefit according to Section 3 AsylbLG, Benefit according to Section 3a AsylbLG, City of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Social Court

Criminal defense and private prosecution

Your role in criminal proceedings can take many forms. You may be a suspect or defendant, a co-plaintiff, a victim, or a witness. In any case, you will face a number of challenges in criminal proceedings, which a lawyer can and should explain to you.

Nowhere is a lawyer more crucial than when it comes to the question of a criminal conviction. Therefore, a lawyer plays a particularly important role in your defense. Various rights regulated in the Code of Criminal Procedure offer options for your defense, even in the preliminary proceedings, which you may not be aware of or have access to yourself.

Useful links in the field of criminal law

Police and public order law / Assembly law

The public safety measures typically carried out by the police encompass a wide range of everyday situations in which you may encounter law enforcement. Once you have been classified as a so-called "disturber of the peace," the authorities have various legal instruments at their disposal to restrict your rights. This can include orders to leave the premises, detention, or so-called identification procedures. The subsequent consequences of these measures can also be significant. Based on general criteria such as the principle of proportionality and the correct selection of the "disturber," such measures by law enforcement should be questioned, reviewed by the administrative courts, and subsequently have their effects (e.g., data storage) rectified.

Particularly in connection with public assemblies, orders to leave the premises, detention, and identification procedures have become commonplace. Combined with the frequently unlawful assembly-related restrictions imposed by the assembly authorities, this has led to a considerable need for legal representation and advice in recent times. However, we have been successfully advising and representing affected parties in court for years.

Useful links in the field of administrative law

Special sections in administrative law

Recent decisions in administrative law

19.03.2026Administrative Court Kassel – Judgment of 10 March 2026 – Case No.: 3 K 837/22.KS
Legal norms: Public-law claim for reimbursement – Keywords: Municipal constitutional dispute, court costs, City of Kassel, Kassel Administrative Court
13.03.2026Administrative Court Kassel – Judgment of 10 March 2026 – Case No.: 3 K 2106/21.KS
Legal norms: Section 67 Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 in conjunction with Section 55 Paragraph 6 Sentence 2 HGO, Section 55 Paragraph 1 Sentence 1 HGO – Keywords: Supervisory Board of documenta and Museum Fridericianum gGmbH, Hare-Niemeyer procedure, City of Kassel, Kassel Administrative Court
18.09.2025Administrative Court Göttingen – Judgment of 03.09.2025 – Case No.: 1 A 191/23
Standards: Section 69 Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Lower Saxony Public Safety and Order Act (Nds. SOG) – Keywords: Painful holds, nerve pressure technique, Göttingen Police Directorate, Göttingen Administrative Court
22.12.2024Higher Administrative Court of the State of Saxony-Anhalt – Decision of 26 November 2024 – Case No.: 4 L 138/24
Legal basis: Section 42b Paragraph 7 Sentence 2 of the German Social Code, Book VIII (SGB VIII) – Keywords: Distribution procedure for unaccompanied minor refugees, child welfare, refusal to grant leave to appeal, Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt

The jury of the bookstore prize distances itself from the decision of the Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media
The jury of the German Bookstore Prize distances itself from the exclusion of the three bookstores, which was beyond its control. Bookstores, as "places of opinion formation and lived freedom of expression," should be highlighted in their diversity and breadth through the prize. https://www.boersenblatt.net/news/stellungnahme-der-jury-zum-buchhandlungspreis-ausschluss-414213
Fundraising campaign for bookstores launched
A fundraising campaign has been launched for the bookstores Golden Shop (Bremen), Rote Straße (Göttingen) and Zur schwankenden Weltkugel (Berlin), which were affected by the removal of the jury from the list of nominees for the German Bookstore Prize: https://lesen-hilft.org/
Change in opening hours
We can be reached by phone and in person from July 1st, 2025, during the following opening hours: Monday to Friday: 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM; Monday and Thursday: 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. You can also contact us via email at kontakt@anwaltskanzlei-adam.de, our contact form, and by mobile phone at +491706001309, as well as via the apps WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Threema (ID: BP2TVD4X), and Wire (SekretariatRASvA). Calls to +491706001309 will be forwarded to our landline number +495514883169.
Admissions stopped since June 1, 2025
Due to capacity constraints, we had to stop accepting new clients on June 1, 2025. For the foreseeable future, but at least until July 31, 2025, we cannot accept any further clients. As soon as we are able to accept new clients again, the application form will be reactivated at https://anwaltskanzlei-adam.de/mandatsaufnahme-formular/.

Berlin Administrative Court: Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media may not describe Berlin bookstore as "political extremists"
Berlin, Bremen, Göttingen, April 30, 2026. By order of the Berlin Administrative Court, the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) was ordered to refrain from describing the operators of the "Bookstore of the Wavering Globe" as "political extremists." The case concerned a corresponding statement by the Minister of State for Culture, Dr. Wolfram Weimer, in the newspaper Die Zeit. Attorney Dr. [Name] issued the following statement: Jasper Prigge, representing the bookstore in the proceedings, stated: “Mr. Weimer has unlawfully defamed my clients in public without any factual basis. This constitutes a gross breach of his official duties. During the proceedings, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) failed to substantiate its serious accusations. The court found that the allegations lacked any factual basis and that the statement exceeded the bounds of what was objectively necessary. In the court's assessment, the BfV's statement that it possessed ‘information relevant to the protection of the constitution’ concerning the bookstore is untenable. It cannot be concluded from this statement that the bookstore is run by political extremists.” The Berlin Administrative Court's decision confirms that the factual basis for excluding the bookstores from the German Bookstore Prize is unsustainable. Mr. Weimer evidently relied on the BfV's brief assessment instead of seeking further clarification. This demonstrates once again that the Haber procedure, which is currently the subject of further lawsuits before the administrative courts in Berlin and Cologne, is legally untenable. It leads to authorities blindly accepting reports from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as grounds for action, without these reports being verifiable or the individuals affected even being informed that any action has been taken against them. The federal government is called upon to cease this unlawful practice. The decision of the Berlin Administrative Court also indirectly affects the bookstores Buchladen Rote Straße (Göttingen) and Golden Shop (Bremen). "We will now urge the current Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) to stop labeling the owners of these bookstores as 'political extremists' and to base their decisions on facts in the future." Attorney Sven Adam explains the further course of action for these bookstores as well. For press inquiries: Attorney Sven Adam (Göttingen) – +49 (0) 551 488 31 69 – kontakt@anwaltskanzlei-adam.de Attorney Dr. Jasper Prigge (Düsseldorf) – +49 (0) 211 4174 89 90 – kontakt@prigge-recht.de Attorney Lea Voigt (Bremen) – +49 (0) 421 335 16 78 – voigt@strafverteidiger-bremen.de For the bookstores: Bookstore Rote Straße (Göttingen), Golden Shop (Bremen), Bookstore zur schwankenden Weltkugel (Berlin)
PM: Following interview statements: Minister of State for Culture Dr. Weimer refuses to issue a cease-and-desist declaration / Urgent application filed with the Berlin Administrative Court
Berlin, Bremen, Göttingen, March 24, 2026. Dr. Jasper Prigge, attorney and representative of the bookstore "Zur schwankenden Weltkugel" (To the Wavering Globe), filed an urgent application with the Berlin Administrative Court yesterday evening. He seeks to prohibit the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media from publicly labeling the bookstore and its owners as political extremists. Minister of State for Culture Dr. Wolfram Weimer, in an interview with Die Zeit on March 18, 2026, was asked, "But why did you intervene in the awarding of the bookstore prize?" and stated: "If the state awards prizes and uses taxpayers' money, then it cannot do so for political extremists." In response to an out-of-court demand for a cease-and-desist declaration, Dr. Weimer, through a Hamburg law firm, declared that the statement in the interview had no connection to the bookstore owners. He claimed he had only presented abstract exclusion criteria. Furthermore, Dr. Weimer stated that he had appeared in the interview in a private capacity and was invoking his right to freedom of expression. Dr. Weimer claims, "only as a last resort," that his statements were based on a sufficient factual basis. He argues that he must be able to act on information from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and communicate publicly based on it. "This is a helpless defense strategy. Weimer gives a lengthy interview about the exclusion of three bookstores from this year's bookstore prize and says that because he didn't mention any names, no one knows who he's talking about. One gets the impression that Mr. Weimer lacks the necessary respect for the affected booksellers and the public, because he apparently thinks they're stupid," Dr. Prigge comments on the letter. "Thanks to the nationwide debate of the past few days, it's common knowledge who the affected booksellers are. This is also assumed throughout the interview when three bookstores are mentioned." Prigge continued: “With his statement, Mr. Weimer sought to brand bookstores as extremists by invoking state authority in order to legitimize his own actions. He relies on vague accusations instead of presenting verifiable evidence. As a public official, however, he is bound by the principle of objectivity. Mr. Weimer had the opportunity to back down, but chose not to. Therefore, the Berlin Administrative Court will now decide whether he violated his official duties.” “The situation is becoming increasingly grotesque, both legally and politically. Any minister who has to defend himself by claiming to have given this interview ‘as a backup’ privately shouldn't be surprised when, after just one week, a petition demanding his resignation has garnered more than 130,000 signatures,” commented attorney Sven Adam in conclusion on the recent statements made by the law firm commissioned by the Minister of State for Culture. The “Reading Helps!” campaign (https://lesen-hilft.org/) has launched a petition on WeAct (https://weact.campact.de/petitions/kultur-braucht-freiheit-freiheit-braucht-kultur-weimer-muss-weg) demanding the resignation of Wolfram Weimer. As of March 24, 2026, the petition has been signed by more than 130,000 people. For press inquiries: Attorney Sven Adam (Göttingen) – +49 (0) 551 488 31 69 – kontakt@anwaltskanzlei-adam.de Attorney Dr. Jasper Prigge (Düsseldorf) – +49 (0) 211 4174 89 90 – kontakt@prigge-recht.de Attorney Lea Voigt (Bremen) – +49 (0) 421 335 16 78 – voigt@strafverteidiger-bremen.de For the bookstores: Buchladen Rote Straße (Göttingen), Golden Shop (Bremen), Buchladen zur schwankenden Weltkugel (Berlin)
PM: Warning against BKM: Bookstore takes legal action against interview statements by the Minister of State for Culture and a Freedom of Information Act request has been filed regarding internal official procedures
Berlin, Bremen, Göttingen, March 19, 2026. The statement made by Minister of State for Culture Weimer in the newspaper Die Zeit on March 18, 2026, that the three bookstores excluded from the German Bookstore Prize were "political extremists," has now had legal consequences. The bookstore "Zur Schwankenden Weltkugel" (To the Wavering Globe) in Berlin has issued a cease-and-desist letter to the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) today, demanding a legally binding declaration to refrain from such statements. Should the authority fail to comply with this demand by the deadline of March 23, 2026, at 12:00 noon, it will face an application for an injunction at the Berlin Administrative Court. "Minister of State for Culture Weimer is unlawfully infringing on fundamental rights. The labeling as extremists is stigmatizing," explains attorney Dr. Jasper Prigge. “Assessments by government agencies must be based on a sufficient factual foundation. Should Mr. Weimer not retract his defamatory statement, he will have to explain in court what alleged grounds exist against the bookstores. He can no longer hide behind purported confidentiality.” The cease-and-desist letter argues that the statement violates the general right of personality. Official statements must adhere to the general principles of the rule of law, specifically the prohibition of arbitrariness and the principle of proportionality. This requires sufficient evidence. Attorney Dr. Prigge explains: “When Mr. Weimer refers to an assessment by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, according to which there is supposedly information regarding the bookstores, this does not constitute a sufficient factual basis. This is also an assessment that would have to be supported by concrete facts.” Furthermore, due to Wolfram Weimer's statements, the bookstores are pressing for clarification and have filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act (IFG). According to Mr. Weimer, "officials with extensive knowledge of the book trade had fundamental doubts about the eligibility" of the three bookstores for the prize. Following an inquiry via the Ministry of the Interior to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution (Germany's domestic intelligence agency), the agency reported that "something serious" was at issue. "We are now demanding access to all internal communications between departments, divisions, and management levels related to the 2025 German Bookstore Prize," said Sven Adam, lawyer for the "Rote Straße" bookstore in Göttingen. This right to information includes meeting minutes, memos, notes, and other records created in connection with the conception, execution, awarding, or rejection of applications for the 2025 German Bookstore Prize, insofar as they are not subject to justified confidentiality. "The public should know what qualifies these alleged officials to question the jury's decision and what this supposed 'serious' issue is." This lack of transparency and the use of meaningless terms like "specialist official" or "something serious" should finally stop. Here is the cease and desist letter: Cease and Desist Letter to the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media (Download) Here is the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request: FOIA Request - Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media (Download) For press inquiries: Attorney Sven Adam (Göttingen) – +49 (0) 551 488 31 69 – kontakt@anwaltskanzlei-adam.de Attorney Dr. Jasper Prigge (Düsseldorf) – +49 (0) 211 4174 89 90 – kontakt@prigge-recht.de Attorney Lea Voigt (Bremen) – +49 (0) 421 335 16 78 – voigt@strafverteidiger-bremen.de For bookstores: Bookstore Rote Straße (Göttingen), Golden Shop (Bremen), Bookstore zur schwankenden Weltkugel (Berlin)
Federal Commissioner for Culture and Media lied to bookstores – Two of the excluded bookstores were slated for a special prize – Lawsuits have been filed – Fundraising campaign launched for the bookstores
Berlin, Bremen, Göttingen, March 11, 2026. The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) actively misled the three bookstores excluded from the German Bookstore Prize. In an email dated February 10, 2026, for which the BKM is responsible, to the bookstores, it states: “Unfortunately, I must inform you that you were not selected for an award by the independent jury. Given the very high quality of the applications, the jury did not take its decision lightly. The choice made therefore in no way diminishes our high regard for your great commitment.” In its statement of March 9, 2026, the jury clarified that it had intended to award the prize to the three bookstores. The subsequent decision to exclude the three bookstores from the award was made by the BKM and was outside the jury's sphere of influence. “Such a lie as contained in the rejection email to the bookstores is cowardly and unworthy of a Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer has not only damaged the bookstore prize but also his own office. We are now also considering filing a supervisory complaint with the Federal Chancellery,” explains attorney Sven Adam, representing the Rote Straße bookstore (Göttingen), regarding the new information revealed by the jury's statement. The Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media falsely claimed that the booksellers had not been selected by the jury for the prestigious bookstore prize. Had a whistleblower not exposed the events, the bookstores would still be under the mistaken impression that the expert jury had decided against them. “The impression arises that Weimer and his agency lied to avoid public scrutiny and judicial review,” explains attorney Voigt, representing the Golden Shop bookstore (Bremen). Meanwhile, it has also come to light that two of the three excluded bookstores had even been awarded the title of "particularly outstanding bookstores" and received a prize of €15,000. These are the Golden Shop bookstore (Bremen) and the Rote Straße bookstore (Göttingen). "This has not only increased the amount in dispute in the lawsuits, but it also makes it clear that the Federal Commissioner has absolutely no respect for the expert jury," continued attorney Voigt. As of yesterday, the lawsuits against the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) are also pending before the administrative courts in Berlin and Cologne. “With our lawsuits, we aim to have it legally established that the data transfers between the Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution were unlawful. The application of the Haber procedure sends a message to every bookstore, every publisher, every cultural institution in this country: Be careful what you display in your shop window. Think carefully about whom you invite. Be cautious when applying for funding. This data exchange promotes a creeping self-censorship that is incompatible with freedom of expression and of the press,” concludes attorney Dr. Jasper Prigge, who represents the bookstore “Zur schwankenden Weltkugel” (Berlin). In addition to the numerous offers of support from politics, society, and especially the book trade, a fundraising campaign to financially support the three bookstores’ landmark legal proceedings has been running since the weekend at https://lesen-hilft.org/. The website states: “This campaign is more than just financial support. It is a sign that independent book culture is important.” For press inquiries: Attorney Sven Adam (Göttingen) – +49 (0) 551 488 31 69 – kontakt@anwaltskanzlei-adam.de Attorney Dr. Jasper Prigge (Düsseldorf) – +49 (0) 211 4174 89 90 – kontakt@prigge-recht.de Attorney Lea Voigt (Bremen) – +49 (0) 421 335 16 78 – voigt@strafverteidiger-bremen.de For the bookstores: Bookstore Rote Straße (Göttingen), Golden Shop (Bremen), Bookstore zur schwankenden Weltkugel (Berlin) The rejection emails from the BMK dated February 10, 2026 can be found here: 2026-02-10-Rejection-Email-Rote_StraßeDownload 2026-02-10-Rejection-Email-Golden_ShopDownload 2026-02-10-Rejection-Email-Zur_tanzenden_WeltkugelDownload

Social Court Karlsruhe – Decision of 13 April 2026 – Case No.: S 12 AY 1004/26 ER
Legal norms: Section 3 Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG), Section 3a AsylbLG, Section 86b Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 Social Court Act (SGG) – Keywords: Standard benefit level 1, Standard benefit level 2, Benefit according to Section 3 AsylbLG, Benefit according to Section 3a AsylbLG, State of Baden-Württemberg, Social Court Karlsruhe
Social Court Ulm – Decision of April 10, 2026 – Case No.: S 18 AY 64/26
Legal norms: Section 88 SGG, Section 193 SGG – Keywords: Cost allocation following an action for failure to act, State of Baden-Württemberg, Ulm Social Court
Stuttgart Social Court – Decision of April 8, 2026 – Case No.: S 9 AY 854/26 ER
Legal norms: Section 3 Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG), Section 3a AsylbLG, Section 86b Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 Social Court Act (SGG) – Keywords: Standard benefit level 1, Standard benefit level 2, Benefit according to Section 3 AsylbLG, Benefit according to Section 3a AsylbLG, City of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Social Court
Stuttgart Social Court – Decision of March 18, 2026 – Case No.: S 11 AY 706/26 ER
Legal norms: Section 3 Asylum Seekers' Benefits Act (AsylbLG), Section 3a AsylbLG, Section 86b Paragraph 2 Sentence 2 Social Court Act (SGG) – Keywords: Standard benefit level 1, Standard benefit level 2, Benefit according to Section 3 AsylbLG, Benefit according to Section 3a AsylbLG, City of Stuttgart, Stuttgart Social Court