Judge recently nominated for OVG Presidency prior to appointment - Judge ascending towards OVG presidency prior to federal appointment
New President of Higher Administrative Court in North Rhine-Westphalia to be Appointed Next Week
The Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in North Rhine-Westphalia is set to welcome a new President next week, as Federal Judge Carsten Günther is expected to take up the position. The announcement was made by a spokesperson for the NRW Ministry of Justice to the German Press Agency.
Currently serving as a federal judge, Judge Günther will transfer from the federal service to the state service in the coming days, paving the way for his appointment as the President of the OVG in Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia. The term "imminent" suggests that the appointment will take place within days or weeks around the end of July 2025.
The position of OVG President in North Rhine-Westphalia, which had been vacant for years, was decided by the state government three weeks ago. The appointment does not involve a renewed competition for the position, as Judge Günther is the chosen candidate following the political and legal controversy surrounding the position.
Several courts and an investigative committee in the Düsseldorf state parliament had dealt with the appointment. The losing candidate had two weeks to file a lawsuit against the decision of the state government regarding the appointment, but no such lawsuit has been reported.
The Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in North Rhine-Westphalia is responsible for administrative law matters in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The court, located in Münster, is a crucial part of the German judiciary.
Judge Günther succeeds Ricarda Brandts, who retired in May 2021 as the OVG President in North Rhine-Westphalia. Brandts' departure marked the beginning of the search for a new President, a process that has now come to a conclusion with the appointment of Judge Günther.
Previously, there were two candidates for the President's position at OVG in North Rhine-Westphalia. With Judge Günther's impending appointment, the court is poised to begin a new chapter under his leadership.
- The impending appointment of Judge Carsten Günther as the President of the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) in North Rhine-Westphalia may signal a new policy-and-legislation direction for the institution, given his current position as a federal judge.
- In the midst of ongoing politics and general news regarding the appointment process, the upcoming official shift in leadership at the OVG in North Rhine-Westphalia brings an end to years of vacancy in the institution's top position.
