The diesel scandal is burdening the Stuttgart regional court more and more.

Currently, 110 judges alone deal with around 15,600 diesel emissions proceedings.

But it is not only motorists who feel that Volkswagen or Daimler have been deceived by Volkswagen or Daimler when it comes to emissions, complain en masse.

There are also hundreds of lawsuits from shareholders seeking to claim price losses in the context of the diesel scandal.

Since the Wirecard bankruptcy, people in Stuttgart have also been prepared for investors to sue the auditor EY.

All in all, 9,500 first-instance civil proceedings were received at the Stuttgart Regional Court in the first half of the year, 43 percent more than last year.

Susanne Preuss

Business correspondent in Stuttgart.

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The President of the Stuttgart Regional Court, Andreas Singer, therefore calls for the collective legal protection to be further developed: "Those who have been injured must obtain their rights quickly and cheaply." 7.4 months on average. The instrument of the model declaratory action does not help because a positive decision does not yet trigger an individual payment claim, it is said in Stuttgart: Consumers would also have to assert the claim in their own lawsuit.

In addition, diesel drivers with legal protection insurance are often encouraged by lawyers not to join the model declaratory actions, but to sue them themselves. The district court, in turn, has the problem that these proceedings must not be suspended until the model assessment procedure for the Mercedes cars has been completed: “So we cannot wait for a clarification from the highest court, but have to make decisions in parallel,” says Singer, describing the problem: “This is where resources are needed burned. "

The phenomenon of mass lawsuits is not only a consequence of scandals, but is also being accelerated by digitization, according to Singer: "Today, just a few clicks are enough to initiate a lawsuit." Specialized law firms recruit clients on the Internet , The plaintiff often does not even have to bear the cost risk himself if he surrenders part of his claims, as Singer reports: “Following the American model, companies are even set up for the purpose of filing a lawsuit.” This is particularly evident in cartel lawsuits.