How to Read and Understand Swiss Law
Practical guide to reading Swiss laws: structure, hierarchy of norms, systematic compilation and accessible legal sources.
Last updated : 2026-04-22
Hierarchy of Norms
- Federal Constitution (FC, SR 101): supreme norm. 2. Federal acts: enacted by Parliament (CC SR 210, CO SR 220, CP SR 311.0). 3. Ordinances: enacted by Federal Council/departments, implementing laws. 4. Cantonal law: constitutions, acts and ordinances. 5. Municipal law: municipal regulations.
Systematic Compilation (SR)
Each federal act has an SR number, organised by domain: SR 1 (State), SR 2 (private law), SR 3 (criminal law), SR 8 (health). All federal law freely accessible at fedlex.admin.ch in three official languages (French, German, Italian), consolidated versions.
Structure of a Swiss Act
Title and preamble, Chapter 1 (general provisions: purpose, scope, definitions), subsequent chapters (substantive rules by theme), procedural provisions, penal provisions, final/transitional provisions.
Articles, Paragraphs and Letters
Unit: article (art.). May contain paragraphs (para.), numbered. Paragraphs may contain letters (let. a, b, c) or numbers (ch. 1, 2, 3). Example: "art. 28 para. 2 let. a CC" = article 28, paragraph 2, letter a of the Civil Code.
Finding Applicable Law
Identify the legal domain. Use: Fedlex (fedlex.admin.ch) for federal law, cantonal portals for cantonal law, bger.ch for Federal Supreme Court case law (ATF).
Reading Tips
Read the entire article and neighbouring articles. Verify the version in force. Use marginal notes (part of the legal text). Compare the three language versions when a provision is ambiguous (all three have equal legal force).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to find Swiss laws online?
Fedlex (fedlex.admin.ch) for federal law, cantonal legal portals for cantonal law. Access is free.
What does "SR" mean in a legal reference?
SR means Systematic Compilation (Systematische Rechtssammlung). It is the classification system for Swiss federal law. Each act has a unique SR number (e.g. CC = SR 210, CO = SR 220).
Do the three language versions of a law have equal value?
Yes. The French, German and Italian versions have equal legal force. Courts compare versions to determine the meaning of a provision when in doubt.
Editorial note
This article is provided for general information on Swiss law. It does not constitute legal advice and is no substitute for consulting a professional.
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