Comparative Civil Procedure
Procedure & Regularity for Accuracy, True Dispute Resolution and Happiness

Compensation for Moral Damage: A Comparative Study of Iranian and German Case Law

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

hamid abhari 1
alireza fattahi 2

1 Professor of Private Law,, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Mazandaran, iran

2 Ph.D Candidate, University of Mazandaran, Iran

Abstract
How can the intangible suffering of human beings be measured on the material scale of law? This problem of immeasurability constitutes one of the most profound ambiguities in the law of civil liability and has cast doubt upon the very acceptance of the principle of compensation for non-pecuniary damage. Employing a descriptive-analytical method and a comparative approach, the present study examines the manner in which the legal systems of Iran and Germany confront this ambiguity, with particular emphasis on judicial approaches and court decisions concerning methods of redressing such harm. The findings demonstrate that Iranian law, by drawing upon the dynamic capacities of Islamic jurisprudence and legislative provisions, is conducive to a development-oriented approach; nevertheless, its judicial practice remains uncertain and inconsistent in transitioning from traditional conservatism toward the recognition of effective forms of compensation. In contrast, the German legal system, relying on Article 253 of the Civil Code, has adopted a text-oriented and restrictive approach to contain such uncertainty, establishing non-compensation as the general rule except in limited statutory exceptions. The comparative analysis reveals that although both legal systems ultimately seek to safeguard human dignity, their responses to this ambiguity diverge.

Keywords

Moral Damage
Compensation
Iran
German
Case Law
Subjects
Comparative Civil Procedure
Volume 2, Issue 3
August 2026
Pages 29-54

  • Receive Date 26 May 2026
  • Accept Date 17 June 2026
  • Publish Date 23 July 2026

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