Criminal law
A service offered by the lawyers at Espace Legal avocats & solutions
General Criminal Law and Juvenile Criminal Law
Foundations and Specific Features
Swiss criminal law governs the State’s response to offences that infringe legal order, public security, or fundamental legal interests. It is primarily based on the Swiss Criminal Code (CP), the Swiss Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP), and special statutes such as the Narcotics Act (LStup). Juvenile criminal law (DPMin) applies to minors aged 10 to 18 and provides for a distinct procedure focused on rehabilitation rather than punishment, with measures tailored to the minor’s age, development, and personal circumstances.
A criminal proceeding involves several authorities, including the police (initial investigative phase), the Public Prosecutor’s Office (direction of proceedings and decision on indictment), Criminal Courts (trial and sentencing), as well as the authorities responsible for enforcing sanctions. The main parties to the procedure are the accused, the complainant, and, where applicable, civil third parties. Some individuals may also be summoned solely to provide information (PADR) or to testify.
Our firm assists you - whether as an accused person, a victim, or a complainant - by ensuring strict respect of your procedural rights and providing effective representation before the criminal authorities.
Economic and Corporate Criminal Law
Offences and Liability
In an increasingly regulated environment, companies and their executives are exposed to significant criminal risks. Economic and administrative criminal law aim to prevent and sanction conduct that undermines business integrity.
Our firm supports you in all situations where an offence is alleged in connection with commercial or managerial activities. This includes accounting and tax offences, acts of corruption, criminal mismanagement or conflicts of interest, money laundering, and violations of regulatory standards (financial market law, environmental law, public health law).
Liability may fall not only on the individual but also on the company itself in cases of organisational failure.
We provide proactive advice on criminal compliance, internal investigations, and corporate governance, and ensure your defence in both criminal and administrative proceedings (e.g., before the Public Prosecutor, the Federal Tax Administration, or FINMA).
Road Traffic Offences
Key Issues and Particularities
Whether it concerns speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, or an accident, an offence under the Federal Road Traffic Act (LCR) can have serious consequences, including a substantial fine, licence withdrawal, entry into the criminal record, or even imprisonment.
These situations often sudden and destabilising - combine criminal and administrative law, with tight deadlines and decisions that may have immediate effects (preventive licence withdrawal, vehicle seizure, interim measures). The authorities (police, Motor Vehicle Service, Public Prosecutor, courts) enjoy significant discretion, which makes early legal assistance essential.
If you are the victim of a road traffic offence, we will fight to ensure that your rights are fully recognised, your voice is heard, and that you obtain fair compensation.
At every stage, we offer you a committed and structured defence, taking care to protect your interests seriously, limit the impact on your private or professional life, and guide you clearly through a complex legal process. You can count on our thoroughness, availability and total commitment.
Our other services
Our publications
Patience is being put to the test
The level crossing barriers on my daily commute had just started to come down, but as I was running late, I sped up to carry on my journey. An officer stopped me on the other side and told me I’d been fined. Yet I hadn’t seen any train, the track was clear, and I’d crossed in a matter of seconds….Need to show ID to have a drink?
Your latest column really struck a chord with me. A few days ago, a bouncer at a nightclub refused to let me in because I’d left my ID card at home, even though I had a photo of it on my phone. The same thing had happened to me in Montreux during the festival, even though, at 50, you wouldn’t expect…Does a police stop need to be justified?
As I got off the tram at La Jonction, two police officers asked to see my ID without a word of explanation. I asked what I was being accused of, but they simply repeated that they needed to know my identity. I eventually complied, feeling a bit put out at being treated like a suspect when I was just heading home quietly from work. Do the police have the…
What our clients say
Frequently asked questions
To answer frequently asked questions about criminal law in Switzerland, we have drawn up these frequently asked questions (FAQs). It aims to clarify the essential aspects relating to the various branches of criminal law.