Honorary, but carrying real responsibility.
Section 31 of the Courts Constitution Act expressly calls lay judging an honorary office. Lay judges contribute as non-professional members of the court. A law degree does not define the term; appointment to this judicial office does.
During the main hearing they generally have judicial powers and equal voting rights. Honorary therefore does not mean merely listening as a guest. The role requires careful participation in assessing the particular case.
The other three answers
None of the other options describes lay judicial office.
the deputy of the city head.
Deputising for the head of a municipality is a local-government function. A court lay judge instead participates in judicial decisions. The terms describe different offices.
a member of a municipal council.
A municipal councillor participates in local-government decisions. A lay judge sits on the judicial bench in the relevant proceeding and does not become a councillor by holding that office.
a person who has studied law.
Studying law does not by itself make someone a lay judge. The office is an honorary role for non-professional judges and is not conferred by a degree certificate.
“Volunteer judge” is a shorthand translation.
The existing English answer uses “volunteer judge”. Honorary lay judge is more precise here: accepting office can be a civic duty. Statutory grounds for declining exist, but honorary service does not mean an appointed lay judge may attend whenever convenient.
Honorary service also does not mean paying all expenses personally. The law provides compensation for matters including travel costs, time spent and lost earnings. This still differs from working as a professional judge.
Section 31 · Courts Constitution Act ↗Lay judge = honorary office + judicial function.
Remember both elements. Merely “voluntary” would be imprecise, while “studied law” would be incorrect. The office combines civic participation with judicial responsibility.
Three words for this question
- ehrenamtlichhonorary / non-professional
- Here, a public office outside professional judicial employment.
- der Laienrichter / die Laienrichterinlay judge
- A person performing a judicial function without serving as a professional judge.
- die Entschädigungcompensation
- Statutory compensation for specified costs, time or losses.