strafbefehl-pruefung

/strafrecht:strafbefehl-pruefung

Purpose

Penalty orders are proceedings without a main hearing — fast, cheap for the justice system, often without legal clarification for the accused. The 2-week objection deadline (§ 410(1) StPO) expires quickly. This skill reviews the chances of objection, formal validity and defence strategies.

Inputs

Date of service
Charge (alleged offence, legal provision)
Sentence (fine in daily units, driving ban, entry in the register)
Has inspection of the files already been requested?
Previous convictions?
Existing legal representation?

Procedure

1. Deadline check (§ 410(1) StPO)

2 weeks from service. If served by recorded delivery: date of service + 14 days. Compliance with the deadline by:

written objection to the issuing local court
Fax
electronic document under § 32a StPO (beA)
Oral objection at the court registry

Missed deadline → the penalty order becomes final (§ 410(3) StPO). Restoration of the proceedings to the previous status only in the case of an unavoidable impediment (§§ 44 et seq. StPO).

2. Formal validity (§ 409 StPO)

Sufficient suspicion of an offence?
Authority of the public prosecutor's office to apply?
Required content: personal details, alleged offence, legal provision, sentence, evidence, information on legal remedies
Was service valid?

3. Substantive review

Elements of the offence of § X StGB fulfilled?
Unlawfulness / guilt (self-defence § 32, necessity §§ 34/35, mistake as to prohibition § 17)
Evidentiary situation — who observed what and when? Is it sufficient for a conviction in the main proceedings?

4. Inspection of the files (§ 147 StPO)

Mandatory before a decision. Only as defence counsel. Contents of the file:

Report / documents giving rise to the proceedings
Interrogation records
Evidence
Police reports
Statement by the public prosecutor's office

5. Strategic options

Option	When
Objection + main hearing	Evidentiary situation weak, offence elements doubtful, high number of daily units
Objection + agreement § 257c StPO	Evidentiary situation strong, but sentence too severe
Limited objection (§ 410(2) StPO)	Finding of guilt acceptable, but legal consequences inappropriate
Acceptance (no objection)	Evidentiary situation overwhelming, sentence appropriate, risk of main hearing (higher sentence, entry in the register) outweighs

6. Consequences of acceptance

The penalty order becomes a final judgment (Section 410(3) StPO)
Entry in the Federal Central Register (BZRG)
If applicable, entry in the certificate of conduct depending on the sentence (Section 32 BZRG)
Consequences of the sentence: civil servant status, immigration law consequences, professional law consequences (lawyers: Section 14 BRAO)

7. Special cases

Penalty order against foreigners: consequences for residence permit; Sections 53–55 AufenthG
Penalty order against civil servants: Section 24 BeamtStG; disciplinary proceedings
Penalty order with professional ban Section 70 StGB
Penalty order with driving ban Section 44 StGB (often for traffic offenses)

Sources

Statute

Section 407 StPO, Section 408 StPO, Section 409 StPO, Section 410 StPO, Section 411 StPO
Section 147 StPO (inspection of files)
Section 136 StPO, Section 136a StPO (instruction)
Section 257c StPO (negotiated agreement)
Sections 32, 34, 35, 17 StGB (justification / guilt)

Commentaries

Meyer-Goßner / Schmitt, StPO, 67th ed. 2024, Section 410 marginal no. 1 et seq.
Eschelbach, in: KK-StPO, 9th ed. 2023, Section 410 marginal no. 1 et seq.
Beulke, Strafprozessrecht, 15th ed. 2023, marginal no. 530 et seq.

Case law

BGH, order of 02.03.2011 – 2 StR 524/10, NStZ 2011, 522 (requirements of Section 411) [unverifiziert – prüfen]
BVerfG, order of 19.03.2013 – 2 BvR 2628/10 (negotiated agreement) [unverifiziert – prüfen]

Output format

STRAFBEFEHL-PRÜFUNG — <Mandant-ID> — <Datum>
VERTRAULICH — STRAFVERTEIDIGUNG

I.    Frist
      Zustellung am: <…>
      Fristende: <…> ([🟢 noch offen / 🔴 abgelaufen])
II.   Formelle Wirksamkeit         [✅ / ⚠️]
III.  Materielle Bewertung
      Tatbestand <§ X StGB>:        [erfüllt / zweifelhaft]
      Rechtfertigung / Schuld:      [keine / Notwehr / …]
      Beweislage:                   [🟢 stark / 🟡 mittel / 🔴 schwach]
IV.   Strafmaß-Bewertung
      Tagessatzanzahl angemessen:   [✅ / ⚠️]
      Eintragungsfolgen:            <BZRG / Führungszeugnis>
V.    Optionen
      [ ] Voller Einspruch         Grund: <…>
      [ ] Beschränkter Einspruch   Grund: <…>
      [ ] Annahme                   Grund: <…>

Empfehlung: <…>
Nächster Schritt: <…>
Wiedervorlage: <Datum>

Risks / typical mistakes

Missed deadline → the penalty order becomes a judgment. Restitution is rare.
Acceptance without inspection of files → blind waiver of defense.
Objection + main hearing with a higher sentence than in the penalty order: possible, but no prohibition of deterioration as in an appeal. Inform the client!
Limited objection incorrectly formulated → is treated as a full objection or rejected.
Consequences of the sentence (civil servant status, immigration law, professional law) underestimated.