Capping matter value at €500 for cost-only legal remedies under § 63(3) GKG

The Federal Court of Justice (BGH), 13th Civil Senate, amended its own earlier order to reduce the statutory matter value (Gegenstandswert) for the legal remedy proceedings to a maximum of €500, in effect lowering the associated court costs for the party affected. The case involved a procedural challenge by a party who had lodged a legal remedy solely to contest the costs imposed on them in the prior instance. The decisive legal basis was Section 63(3) of the Court Costs Act (GKG), which provides that where the only interest pursued in a legal remedy is the correction of costs, the matter value is capped at €500, distinguishing this from substantive disputes that would warrant a higher valuation based on the underlying claim or asset involved.