There are no court hearings with plaintiffs and defendants giving testimony and lawyers pleading their cases.

The Federal Supreme Court bases its decisions on facts as they are established by the lower instances and described in the records of the previous proceedings.

According to the Constitution of Switzerland, the court has jurisdiction over violations of:[2] Because of an emphasis on direct democracy through referendum,[citation needed] the Constitution precludes the Federal Supreme Court from reviewing acts of the Federal Parliament, unless such review is specifically provided for by statute.

[citation needed] Decisions of arbitral tribunals constituted under Swiss law, such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport, can be appealed to the Federal Supreme Court, although judicial review is limited to a very narrow set of questions of law in such cases.

The Secretary-General participates in meetings held by the Court Assembly, the Administrative Commission and the Conference of Presidents in an advisory capacity.

Of the federal justices currently serving on the bench, three have Italian, 14 French and 23 German as their native language.

Of the deputy justices currently sitting on the bench, three have Italian, five French and 11 German as their native language.

The deputy federal justices serve in a part-time capacity, otherwise they are professors, practicing lawyers or cantonal judges.

As a general rule, they serve as replacements for justices who have recused themselves or have taken ill, or when the Court's docket has become overly full.

They draft the final text of rulings based on the remarks made by the members of the division.

Expropriations, national and regional spatial planning and construction law, environmental protection, political rights, international judicial cooperation in criminal matters, road traffic (including the revocation of driving licences), citizenship, public service personnel, fundamental rights such as equality under the law, guarantee of ownership, freedom of art and guarantees of due process.Division president: Stephan HaagJudges: François Chaix, Lorenz Kneubühler, Thomas Müller, Laurent Merz Rights of foreigners, public commercial law and other areas of administrative law (e.g. state liability, subsidies, radio and television), fundamental rights such as freedom of religion and conscience, freedom of language and economic freedom.Division president: Florence Aubry GirardinJudges: Yves Donzallaz, Julia Hänni, Marianne Ryter, Matthias Kradolfer Taxes, old-age and survivors’ insurance, disability insurance, loss of earnings compensation, health insurance and occupational pensions.Division president: Margit Moser-SzelessJudges: Thomas Stadelmann, Francesco Parrino, Michael Beusch, Susanne Bollinger Disability insurance, accident insurance, unemployment insurance, cantonal social insurance, family allowances, social assistance, military insurance, supplementary benefits and transition benefits for older unemployed persons.Division president: Daniela ViscioneJudges: Marcel Maillard, Alexia Heine, Karin Scherrer Reber, Jean Métral Code of Obligations (law of obligations), insurance contracts, intellectual property rights, competition law: national and international arbitration, provisional and final dismissals of objection.Division president: Christoph HurniJudges: Christina Kiss, Christian Denys, Yves Rüedi, Marie-Chantal May Canellas Civil Code (law of persons, family law, law of succession and property law), proceedings concerning debt recovery and bankruptcy (without provisional and final dismissals of objection).Division president: Grégory BoveyJudges: Christian Herrmann, Stephan Hartmann, Federica De Rossa, Christian Josi Substantive criminal law (without the execution of penalties and measures), Code of Criminal Procedure and appeals against final rulings in criminal proceedings (without no-proceedings orders and abandoning proceedings).Division president: Laura Jacquemoud-RossariJudges: Giuseppe Muschietti, Rolf von Felten, Sandra Wohlhauser, Patrick Guidon Execution of penalties and measures, interlocutory rulings in criminal proceedings, no-proceedings orders and abandoning proceedings.Division president: Bernard AbrechtJudges: Beatrice van de Graaf, Sonja Koch, Christian Kölz, Yann-Eric Hofmann