Berlin, 23 November 2010 
RAUE LLP has represented the journalist Gerhard Wisnewski in a widely regarded proceeding before the higher administrative court Berlin-Brandenburg, and secured his claim for information access against the Berlin general attorney. In the summer of 2010, the journalist conducted research regarding the death of the well-known judge Kirsten Heisig and filed an information access request with the general attorney’s office. The office denied the request and only stated that Mrs. Heisig had committed suicide without further explanations. RAUE LLP successfully challenged the refusal to inform the press through a motion for injunction before the higher administrative court Berlin-Brandenburg as court of last instance. The court followed RAUE LLP's arguments that Mrs. Heisig had previously and voluntarily contacted the press to advocate for her political projects. The court concluded that the public has a legitimate interest in obtaining information on her death, as in such cases the information rights of the public prevail over posthumous personality rights. The press (FAZ, WELT, Tagesspiegel) identified the proceeding as "a landmark case for rights of the press".
 

 

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