Abstract Drawing on over a century and a half of Germany’s experience with a statute that criminalizes (mis)judging, this Article seeks to substantiate that criminal penalties for judges were largely ineffectual, and that courts proved ill-suited to police themselves even with a judiciary-specific criminal statute in place. To reach this conclusion, this post hoc longitudinal study examines German statutory foundations for the crime of “law bending” (Rechtsbeugung), related legal history, and jurisprudence during three distinct periods: (1) the codification of Rechtsbeugung in 1851 through the end of World War II; (2) Rechtsbeugung jurisprudence in postwar Germany, particularly as related to Nazi-era judicial actions; and (3) Rechtsbeugung legislative changes and jurisprudence leading up to and following Germany’s reunification. The German experience with Rechtsbeugung provides a cautionary tale of judges’ unwillingness to hold other judges criminally responsible, even for the worst of judicial transgressions, such as those committed by judges in Nazi Germany. Following German reunification, the court was less lenient in cases of East German judges. In this context, the court came to renounce its postwar Rechtsbeugung jurisprudence in clear and decisive terms, and affirmed convictions of East German judges. Yet, German high court jurisprudence remains elusive to this day.

中文翻译：

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判断为犯罪：跨大西洋视角对过度司法裁量的刑事定罪

摘要 借鉴德国半个多世纪以来将（错误）判断定为刑事犯罪的法规，本文试图证实对法官的刑事处罚在很大程度上是无效的，并且法院证明即使有司法机构也不适合自律- 特定的刑事法规到位。为了得出这一结论，这项事后纵向研究在三个不同时期考察了德国“法律弯曲”（Rechtsbeugung）罪的法律基础、相关的法律历史和法理学：（1）从 1851 年到第二次世界大战; (2) 战后德国的 Rechtsbeugung 法理学，特别是与纳粹时代的司法行动有关的；(3) 德国统一前后的立法变化和判例。德国在 Rechtsbeugung 案中的经历提供了一个警示故事，即法官不愿追究其他法官的刑事责任，即使是最严重的司法违规行为，例如纳粹德国的法官所犯的罪行。德国统一后，法院对东德法官的案件不那么宽容了。在这种情况下，法院开始以明确和果断的方式放弃其战后的 Rechtsbeugung 判例，并确认东德法官的定罪。然而，直到今天，德国高等法院的判例仍然难以捉摸。即使是最严重的司法违规行为，例如纳粹德国法官所犯的那些罪行。德国统一后，法院对东德法官的案件不那么宽容了。在这种情况下，法院开始以明确和果断的方式放弃其战后的 Rechtsbeugung 判例，并确认东德法官的定罪。然而，直到今天，德国高等法院的判例仍然难以捉摸。即使是最严重的司法违规行为，例如纳粹德国法官所犯的那些罪行。德国统一后，法院对东德法官的案件不那么宽容了。在这种情况下，法院开始以明确和果断的方式放弃其战后的 Rechtsbeugung 判例，并确认东德法官的定罪。然而，直到今天，德国高等法院的判例仍然难以捉摸。