2. _The Hierarchy of regular courts_--The centralization of judicial administration in the Reich Ministry of Justice did not at first have any pronounced effect upon the structure of the regular court system. The established hierarchy of courts--local courts, district courts, district courts of appeal, and the Reich Supreme Court--continued in effect. The most important development in the early years of the Third Reich was the creation of extraordinary and special courts, which increasingly cut into the jurisdiction of the regular courts. Under the impact of war, however, the system of regular courts was substantially altered, although its general outlines remained the same. These alterations were intended for economy and expedition, and to reduce the number of judicial personnel. This was accomplished chiefly in two ways: by reduction in the number of judges required to hear particular kinds of cases, and by drastic curtailment of the right of appeal. Many of these changes were made at the outbreak of war in 1939. Thereafter, all cases in the local courts and all civil cases in the district courts were heard by one judge only; criminal cases in the district courts were heard by three judges, but the president of the court could hear such cases alone if the issues were simple. Criminal cases heard by the local courts could be appealed only as far as the district courts; civil cases heard in the local courts could be appealed directly to the district court of appeals, bypassing the district court. Further drastic curtailments of the right of appeal occurred in 1944 and 1945. In general, appeals could only be taken by permission of the court which heard the case, and permission was granted only to settle legal questions of fundamental importance. The judicial functions of the district courts of appeal were almost, if not entirely, eliminated, although their supervisory administrative functions continued. 3. _Extraordinary courts_--The most crucial and radical change in the judicial system under the Third Reich, however, was the establishment of various extraordinary courts. These irregular tribunals permeated the entire judicial structure, and eventually took over all judicial business which touched political issues or related to the war. Within a matter of weeks after the seizure of power, by a decree of 21 March 1933, “Special Courts” (Sondergerichte) were established. One Special Court was set up within the district of each district court of appeal. Each court was composed of three judges drawn from the judges of the particular district. They were given jurisdiction over offenses described in the emergency decree of 28 February 1933, which included inciting to disobedience of government orders, crimes in the nature of sabotage, and acts “contrary to the public welfare.” There were drastic provisions for the expedition of proceedings before the special courts, and no appeal whatsoever lay from their decisions.