How to make a German company pay its bill?

June 30, 2005 10:15 AM

How do you force a German company to pay a bill? I.e., what is the German equivalent of a civil suit and how hard is it to bring one? (Details inside, if you want the full scoop.)

A German publisher has been selling a title, written by a close friend, for over a year. The book has sold like crazy, but they haven't paid one dime of royalties, although they admit they owe him over 100K (euro, not US). But U.S. lawyers and sternly worded letters haven't made any difference.

posted by harrietwrath to Law & Government (2 answers total)

Every European publisher I know only pays out royalties once a year, mostly a week or so before a writer has to pay his income tax.

The words to look for in your search are "Zivilrecht"

"Rechtsanwalt" is attorney, and "Inkasso" means the sum to be collected.
posted by ijsbrand at 10:54 AM on June 30, 2005

Try calling the German consulate closest to you, or try the embassy. You can also try contacting the US consulate/embassy closest to the company's area. One of these offices should be able to point you in the right direction and/or advise on the next steps needed to get the company to pay.
posted by necessitas at 12:11 PM on June 30, 2005