For years, a man used the title Dr. without having properly earned a doctorate in Germany or abroad. He had it entered on his identity card. He used it in contracts with his employer and in e-mails. A court in Frankfurt fined him 100 daily rates of 80 euros, 8,000 euros in total, for misusing a title. The Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt upheld the judgment. It called the offense “eine schwere Verfehlung,” a serious wrong, because it undermines trust in the authenticity of academic degrees.