Criminal law

Surprise fine... " I've received a parking fine at home even though I've never found a parking ticket on the windscreen of my car. How is this possible?" Joëlle, Geneva If the fine you've received is for parking your car incorrectly, you've received a parking fine. This...

So, is it yes or no? Yes is yes, no is no, other variations... It's a bit confusing with all the information that's appeared in the media recently about the definition of rape! Can you shed some light on this in a few simple words? A, Vaud Indeed, debate is raging on this thorny issue, as the definition of...

Helping people to die. When is it punishable? Switzerland seems to be one of the few countries where it is possible to commit suicide with the help of a doctor or associations such as Exit or Dignitas. In what situations is it actually punishable to assist someone who wishes to die? " N,...

Accident in dispute: the injured party must prove fault "I had a car accident with another motor vehicle. In my opinion, it was the other driver who was at fault. This person's civil liability insurance company tells me that it is up to the injured party to prove that the other driver was at fault. Is this correct?

What is the Criminal Court? The press has mentioned that the attackers in Saint-Jean were tried by the Criminal Court. I'd like to know what exactly that means. Do the courts have the same names and jurisdiction in each canton? Isn't there a federal law that regulates these matters? The press has mentioned that...

30 km/h zones: who has priority? "I was driving in a "30 km/h zone" when a pedestrian insulted me for not letting him pass. He claimed that he had the right of way. Is this the case? And what about limited zones...

Blue zone, white lines: compliant? "I received a ticket for forgetting to put my parking disc in a blue zone in a shopping centre car park. This zone is signposted, but the parking lines are white. Don't the lines have to be blue? Can I dispute this?

Company cars: who is liable for fines? "I received a "notice to the keeper" for our French company car for exceeding the speed limit by more than 15km/h when it was limited to 40km/h. The offence was recorded in November 2007. The offence was recorded in November 2007, so isn't it time-barred? Yes, it is.

Long live holidays to forget the pain " My 8-year-old daughter goes to school in Geneva. For several months now she has been telling me that she is subjected to insults and abuse on a daily basis by a handful of pupils who have taken a dislike to her. The school recognises that there's a big problem but plays down the situation, claiming that my daughter is not...