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If I accidentally find out that someone else committed a crime, and I don't sue him, will I be punished if it later turns out that I knew in some way? In the above example, what happens if it is not ‘me’ but a lawyer? And is it possible for a lawyer to sue him?

sjh
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1 Answers1

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This depends on where it happened, and also on what you knew when.

Usually, to "sue somebody" describes initiating a civil lawsuit, while "reporting someone to the police" or words like that describe making the authorities initiate a criminal investigation. There may be some cases where one is required to start a civil lawsuit, but they are not likely to matter here.

There may be requirements to report a crime, or at least some crimes, to the authorities, but the details differ from country to country. A witness under oath may be required to answer fully and truthfully, but that is different from volunteering information.

In , there is §138 StGB enumerating those crimes where it is a crime not to report them if one knew about them in advance.

o.m.
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