Because trying plaintiffs in their absence is difficult under German rules of criminal procedure (Sec. 230 Para. 1 StPO[1]). Exception exists only if the plaint

Because trying plaintiffs in their absence is difficult under German rules of criminal procedure (Sec. 230 Para. 1 StPO[1]). Exception exists only if the plaintiff leaves a trial after their initial statement, does not appear for an adjourned date(Sec. 231 StPO[2]) or if the plaintiff intentionally caused their absence by rendering themself unfit for trial (Sec. 231a StPO[3]). According to the court's press statement[4] (in German) they decided that the plaintiff is not fit for trial but did not culpably cause this unfitness. The court decided to separate the trial and postponing it until the the plaintiff recovers. They explicitly did so to no longer postpone the trial against the other plaintiffs indefinitely. [1]: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_stpo.html#p1692 https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_st... [2]: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_stpo.html#p1695 https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_st... [3]: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_stpo.html#p1698 https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_st... [4]: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_stpo.html#p1698 https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/englisch_stpo/englisch_st...