„Let’s Talk About Law“ – The interactive discussion series in Karlsruhe: (In)dependent Judiciary – How Do We Protect Our Courts?
On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, we invite you to a discussion „(In)dependent Judiciary—How Do We Protect Our Courts?“ from the „Let’s Talk About Law“ series at the Karlsruhe location.
Guaranteeing judicial independence is a fundamental pillar of the rule of law, without which a liberal democracy is inconceivable. Only where judges can render decisions independently of directives or other influences—and bound solely by the law—can an effective check be placed on the repressive exercise of power by political actors. For several years now, we have increasingly observed that the independence of the judiciary is being called into question and weakened by political reforms in formerly liberal democracies. In Germany, too—particularly at the level of individual federal states—there are efforts to weaken the judiciary.
Moderator Alena Lagmöller (ARD Legal Affairs Department), together with the guests, Stefanie Otte, President of the Higher Regional Court of Celle, and Prof. Dr. Malte Graßhof, President of the Constitutional Court of Baden-Württemberg and the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg, takes a look at the state of the courts in Germany: What is the state of our judicial system? Where is it at risk, and how can we protect it? These and other compelling questions will be discussed in a joint panel discussion.
The audience is warmly invited to join the discussion and ask their own questions.
You can listen to the conversation as a "live-on-tape" podcast on our website two weeks after it was recorded, or anywhere else that offers podcasts. All previous episodes are already available online.
Guests
Stefanie Otte She is a lawyer and the president of the Higher Regional Court of Celle; she previously served as State Secretary in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice. She is also a mediator, a permanent member of the Lower Saxony State Constitutional Court, and co-editor of various professional journals. In addition, Stefanie Otte advocates for the digitization of the judiciary on various committees.
Photo: Jan Pries
The Lawyer Prof. Dr. Malte Graßhof He is President of the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg and also President of the Constitutional Court of Baden-Württemberg. Since 2018, he has been teaching as an honorary professor at the School of Law at Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen.
Photo: Private
Moderated by
The evening will be hosted by Alena Lagmöller. The lawyer has been an editor and reporter in the ARD legal news department for television, online, and radio since 2023, and has also served as a moderator for panel discussions on legal topics since 2025. This year, she will moderate all five „Let’s Talk About Law“ events in Karlsruhe and will therefore also be featured on the podcast of the same name.
Photo: Private
About the Event Series
Since 2025, the Forum Recht Foundation has been regularly hosting the „Let’s Talk About Recht“ discussion series at its venues in Karlsruhe and Leipzig. The guests are prominent figures from various fields of law who discuss their day-to-day work and share their perspectives on current legal topics—ranging from labor law and tenancy law to freedom of speech. The discussions are recorded and subsequently released as a live-on-tape podcast. Learn more about the event series here.
Listen to the interview about the series on Schwarzwaldradio from May 5, 2026, featuring Sina Ness, a research associate at the Forum Recht Foundation!
Service
Admission is free of charge. Registration is not required.
Please note our Accessibility information for the event venues.
Doors open 20 minutes before the show starts.
Share your experiences and questions! Join the discussion now on current legal topics from the series at the Participation platform of the Forum Recht Foundation.