In private law, the decisive factor is who is the bearer of rights and obligations and what these rights relate to.

Legal entities are persons who can be bearers of rights and obligations.

Legal objects or things are the subjects of legal relationships.

Only legal entities can acquire property, conclude contracts, or be legally responsible

Every human being has legal capacity from birth to death, regardless of personal characteristics.

Legal entities such as associations or companies also have legal capacity if they are recognized by law.

Capacity to act determines whether a person can have legal effects through their own actions.

Capacity to act is part of the capacity to act and generally exists from the age of 18.

Capacity to commit a tort begins at the age of 14 and establishes personal liability

Representation enables one person to act on behalf of another with legal effect

Legal representation applies, for example, to minors or legal entities, as they cannot act on their own behalf.

Voluntary representation is based on power of attorney and has direct legal consequences for the person being represented.

Things are the central legal objects of private law through which rights can be exercised

Physical things are tangible and controllable; these include movable and immovable things; animals are also treated as things.

Intangible objects are immaterial goods such as claims, company shares, or intellectual property rights.

The decisive factor for classification as an object is its actual or legal controllability.

Sovereign rights and public law powers are not objects and are not transferable under private law.

Humans are not legal objects, but legal subjects themselves and therefore never objects of ownership