The Federal Office of Justice is the central contact point and liaison body in legal assistance pertaining to civil and commercial matters in relations with foreign countries and – where this is done on a non-treaty basis in the area of administrative and fiscal jurisdiction. Acting in close co-operation with the Federal Foreign Office, the Federal Ministry of Justice and the judicial administrations of the Länder (Germany’s federal states), the Federal Office of Justice supports the German courts in the service of their official documents the world over, and in the gathering of evidence in foreign territories. Key in this is the continual maintaining and updating of the "Countries" part of the Regulation on Judicial Assistance in Civil Matters (i.e. that which applies in relations with other countries).

Within the European Judicial Network (EJN) in civil and commercial matters, the Federal Central Contact Point at the Federal Office of Justice works to facilitate, simplify and expedite effective cross-border cooperation within the EU. Maintaining close contact with the contact points in other Member States, it ensures that court proceedings relating to cross-border matters are carried out in as smooth a way as possible. One way it does this is by offering help in the drafting of requests for legal assistance.