Student Sues Ghostwriter โคOver unfinished Doctoral Thesis โฃin Lรผneburg
Lรผneburg,Germany – A student is pursuing legal action against a ghostwriter after paying for a complete โคdoctoral thesis that was โขnever formally submitted,raising questions about the legality of such โarrangements โin German academia. The case, currently before the โคLรผneburg District Court, centers on whether the contract for the thesis is legally enforceable given the possibly unethical nature of commissioning academic โฃwork. A ruling is expected November โ11th, tho a โคsettlementโ remains possible.
The dispute highlights a growing, yet largely unregulated, market for academic ghostwritingโ services. While the practice itself isn’t โฃexplicitly illegal in Germany, the court โis examining whetherโข the agreement violates public policy (ยง138 โคBGB),โข potentially rendering โขtheโฃ contract โขvoid. This wouldโ mean neither theโ student could claimโค a refund, nor the ghostwriterโ a payment. The student, who had studied โfor 13 semestersโ before exmatriculating, argued that the ghostwriter fulfilled โคtheir part of the agreementโฃ by โdeliveringโฃ a dissertation meeting all formal requirements, noting the frequent โฃuse of the word “dissertation” in the provided materials. However, she hasโ already transferred payment for the work and โnow seeks its return.
According to the presiding โคjudge, if โboth โparties were aware of theโฃ unethical implications of the arrangement, the court may rule that the services rendered are not legallyโค recoverable. Theโฃ student has since accepted a teaching position at an international university, stating she noโ longer requires a doctorate.
The court will consider evidence suggesting the intention was always to โproduce โขa complete dissertation, โas indicated by โthe thoroughness of the submitted work. โthe case is being closely watched as โit could set a precedent for similar disputes โinvolvingโฃ academic ghostwriting in Germany.
