Impact of Covid-19 on criminal proceedings: Lalive’s analysis

On 21 March 2020, the Swiss Federal Government promulgated the Ordinance on the suspension of time periods in civil and administrative proceedings to provide for the discharge of justice during the current Covid-19 crisis. On 9 April 2020, the Swiss Federal Government announced that the suspension of time periods in civil and administrative proceedings was not to be extended beyond 19 April 2020. At the same time, any nationwide directives with respect to criminal proceedings was issued.

A Lalive team – partner Marc Henzelin and associates Deborah Hondius, Simine Sheybani and Adam El-Hakim – writes an article on the topic, underlining a «legal uncertainty» as individual criminal prosecution authorities (be it at a federal or cantonal level) are, for the time being, left to make their own determinations on these issues.  That’s why «legal practitioners are cautioned to keep abreast of all new measures established by the competent authorities so as to determine the effects, if any, on the unfolding of their respective cases», they write.