Switzerland’s Court System Administration essay

The court system of Switzerland is structured in a way that ensures effective administration of justice to the public. Since its creation in 1874, the court system has been referred to as the Federal Tribunal. It consists of its own President, Vice-president, and federal judges. The Federal Tribunal is the only court in the country, but it has various branches that handle criminal and civil cases (Bovey 8-10). The Federal Tribunal has various jurisdictions: civil, criminal, and appellate. The tribunal also acts as a guardian of the country’s constitution.

The Federal Supreme Court of Switzerland consists of 30 judges and 15 others who substitute them. The Swiss court has a pyramidal system of structure where the lower half consists of the civil, criminal, and administrative courts that make up the first and second instance (The Government of Switzerland 23-30). The districts have equal autonomy and oversee the application of the legislation of the federal system. The second and lower parts are made up of cantonal courts that oversee the appeals and pleas of the courts of the first instance.

The judges in the court system of Switzerland are mandated with the task of upholding national law, and presiding independently and partially over criminal or civil cases brought before them. The judges should also ensure that the suspects, victims, and witnesses are treated fairly (Council of Europe 20-25).     Prosecutors are tasked to ensure that there is a proper way in which the investigators obtain evidence. They are not allowed to torture individuals in the process of obtaining crucial evidence. All the forces described above work together to ensure that the Swiss court system is free from bias and corruption. This promotes fairness and justice in the country.