Justice proceedings in Germany take place under the Inquisitorial System of Justice, meaning that the judge has an active role within the investigation and trial process. In contrast to the Adversarial System of trial, it is possible to have more than two opposing parties in a criminal trial, as there is not such a large requirement of a balance between the prosecution and the rights of the defendant. Therefore, the German Code of Criminal Procedure 1987 (herein 'Criminal Code') gives victims a number of rights, including the right to participate in the trial; the right to appeal after the conclusion of the trial; and the right to seek compensation for their loss.