Overview

• The Kammergericht judge disclosed in an official note that she was previously a neighbor of Patricia Schlesinger and had personal contact with her.
• RBB has asked for the judge’s exclusion, arguing the relationship risks the appearance of bias, while Schlesinger’s lawyer says he sees no grounds for recusal.
• The court will decide on the potential disqualification without the participation of the affected judge, and both RBB and court spokespeople declined detailed comment.
• The appeal follows a summer ruling by the Landgericht Berlin granting Schlesinger roughly €18,400 in one month of pension payments and ordering her to repay about €24,200 tied to travel costs.
• Issues over bonuses and an ARD allowance remain contested on appeal, and a separate RBB claim of nearly €13 million related to the Digitales Medienhaus project is to be heard in a distinct proceeding.