The concept of legal force derives from procedural law (Trial procedure) and describes the effect of judicial rulings (Judgment) and official decisions. A distinction is drawn between formal and material legal force. The former term is used when a decision can no longer be challenged by an ordinary legal remedy or a time-limited form of legal redress. If this formal legal force applies, then material legal force determines that a decision regarding a contested claim is also binding for the parties, local authoriti…