Die Vormundschafts-, Familienrechts- und Fürsorgeerziehungssachen in der gerichtlichen Praxis

1. the relationship of the guardianship proceedings to civil and criminal proceedings B. Sources. Foreigners 1. the activity of the guardianship court belongs to the area of voluntary jurisdiction, which apart from special courts is the third major branch of the administration of justice besides civil and criminal justice. The guardianship court fulfils its tasks primarily in the general, i.e. public, interest. This fact distinguishes guardianship court activity from civil jurisdiction, which is essentially concerned only with regulating the legal relations of the parties in dispute. This difference makes it clear that the decisions of the civil courts are not binding on the guardianship court in the sense that the guardianship court is not bound by them if it deems it necessary.