Nach der Verhandlung ficht der Angeklagte das Urteil an.

Because German main clauses normally follow the V2 rule: the finite verb goes in the second position.

In this sentence, Nach der Verhandlung counts as the first element:

• Nach der Verhandlung = position 1
• ficht = position 2
• der Angeklagte = comes after the verb

So German is not thinking subject + verb first in the same rigid way English often does. You can move another element to the front, but the finite verb still stays second.

Compare:

• Der Angeklagte ficht nach der Verhandlung das Urteil an.
• Nach der Verhandlung ficht der Angeklagte das Urteil an.

Both are grammatical; the second one emphasizes the time expression more.

Because nach is a preposition that takes the dative case in this meaning.

So:

• die Verhandlung = nominative
• der Verhandlung = dative

That is why you get:

• nach der Verhandlung = after the trial/hearing

This is a very common pattern:

• nach dem Essen = after the meal
• nach der Arbeit = after work
• nach dem Film = after the film

It comes from the verb anfechten.

This is a separable verb in main clauses:

• infinitive: anfechten
• main clause: ficht ... an

So the prefix an- separates and moves to the end of the clause, while the conjugated part stays in the usual verb position.

That is why the sentence is:

• Der Angeklagte ficht das Urteil an.

not:

• Der Angeklagte anfechtet das Urteil. ❌

Because anfechten is a strong/irregular verb.

Its stem changes in the 3rd person singular and 2nd person singular:

• ich fechte
• du fichtst
• er/sie/es ficht
• wir fechten
• ihr fechtet
• sie/Sie fechten

So in your sentence, der Angeklagte is 3rd person singular, which is why you get ficht.

This is similar to other German strong verbs with stem changes, such as:

• sprechen → er spricht
• geben → er gibt
• helfen → er hilft

Because anfechten is separable in a main clause.

In a normal declarative main clause:

• the conjugated part goes near the front
• the prefix goes to the end

So:

• Er ficht das Urteil an.

This is very common with separable verbs:

• Er ruft mich an. from anrufen
• Sie steht früh auf. from aufstehen
• Wir laden ihn ein. from einladen

• der Angeklagte is nominative because it is the subject
• das Urteil is accusative because it is the direct object

You can test it by asking:

• Who challenges the verdict? → der Angeklagte
• What does he challenge? → das Urteil

So:

• der Angeklagte = the person doing the action
• das Urteil = the thing affected by the action

Yes. Angeklagte is an example of an adjective used as a noun.

German does this a lot:

• der Angeklagte = the accused man / defendant
• die Angeklagte = the accused woman / defendant
• der Deutsche = the German man
• die Kranke = the sick woman

Because it is functioning as a noun, it is capitalized.

Its ending depends on case, gender, and article. For example:

• nominative: der Angeklagte
• accusative: den Angeklagten
• dative: dem Angeklagten

So in your sentence, der Angeklagte is nominative because it is the subject.

Because Urteil is a neuter noun: das Urteil.

In both nominative and accusative singular, many neuter nouns keep das:

• nominative: das Urteil
• accusative: das Urteil

Since it is the direct object here, it is accusative, but the article still stays das.

That can be confusing for English speakers because the form does not visibly change.

In a subordinate clause, the separable verb is usually written together again, and the finite verb goes to the end.

So compare:

Main clause:

• Der Angeklagte ficht das Urteil an.

Subordinate clause:

• ..., weil der Angeklagte das Urteil anficht.

Notice:

• anfechten becomes anficht here
• the whole finite verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause

This is an important pattern with separable verbs.

The past participle of anfechten is angefochten.

So the perfect is:

• Der Angeklagte hat das Urteil angefochten.

Here you can see:

• auxiliary verb: hat
• past participle: angefochten

Strong verbs often have irregular participles, so this one has to be learned as a form:

• anfechten – focht an – angefochten

Yes, very often.

In everyday English, a translation might be something like challenge, but in German anfechten is especially common in formal, legal, or official contexts.

For example, you can anfechten:

• ein Urteil = a judgment/verdict
• eine Entscheidung = a decision
• einen Vertrag = a contract
• eine Wahl = an election

So in this sentence, the legal tone fits very naturally.

Yes.

You could also say:

• Der Angeklagte ficht nach der Verhandlung das Urteil an.

That version is also grammatical. The difference is mainly emphasis:

• Nach der Verhandlung ... puts the timing in focus first
• Der Angeklagte ... puts the subject first

German allows this kind of flexibility much more than English, as long as the finite verb stays in the correct position in the main clause.