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- Transitional provisions to the revision of the Stock Corporation Act of June 19, 2020
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- Art. 25 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
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- Art. 32 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 33 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
- Art. 34 CCC (Convention on Cybercrime)
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FEDERAL CONSTITUTION
MEDICAL DEVICES ORDINANCE
CODE OF OBLIGATIONS
FEDERAL LAW ON PRIVATE INTERNATIONAL LAW
LUGANO CONVENTION
CODE OF CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
CIVIL PROCEDURE CODE
FEDERAL ACT ON POLITICAL RIGHTS
CIVIL CODE
FEDERAL ACT ON CARTELS AND OTHER RESTRAINTS OF COMPETITION
FEDERAL ACT ON INTERNATIONAL MUTUAL ASSISTANCE IN CRIMINAL MATTERS
DEBT ENFORCEMENT AND BANKRUPTCY ACT
FEDERAL ACT ON DATA PROTECTION
SWISS CRIMINAL CODE
CYBERCRIME CONVENTION
COMMERCIAL REGISTER ORDINANCE
FEDERAL ACT ON COMBATING MONEY LAUNDERING AND TERRORIST FINANCING
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT
FEDERAL ACT ON THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSFER OF CULTURAL PROPERTY
- I. Non-extendibility of statutory time limits (Art. 144 para. 1 CPC)
- II. Extension of court deadlines (Art. 144 para. 2 CPC)
- Bibliography
I. Non-extendibility of statutory time limits (Art. 144 para. 1 CPC)
1 Statutory time limits are those whose duration is determined by law. They are generally unalterable and therefore cannot be extended, even by agreement between the parties.
2 The setting of a grace period for the correction of defective submissions pursuant to Art. 132 para. 1 and 2 CPC is not considered an extension. It is therefore also available for submissions that are subject to a statutory deadline. However, no subsequent material additions or corrections may be made. The grace period serves only to prevent certain formal defects.
3 Certain authors advocate the application of Art. 43 lit. b BGG as a general legal principle and consider the granting of an appropriate extension of time to be necessary even in the case of statutory deadlines in particularly complex or extensive exceptional cases.
4 Irrespective of this, a missed statutory deadline can be restored in accordance with the provisions of Art. 148 CPC.
5 Examples of statutory deadlines are deadlines for appeals (Art. 311 para. 1, Art. 314 para. 1, Art. 321 para. 1 and 2, and Art. 329 para. 1 CPC), deadlines for responding to appeals (Art. 312 para. 2, Art. 314 para. 1, and Art. 322 para. 2 CPC), for a request for recusal (Art. 49 para. 1 CPC), for a request for reinstatement (Art. 148 para. 2 and 3 CPC), for filing a lawsuit in court after the issuance of the authorization to sue (Art. 209 para. 3 and 4 CPC), for rejecting a proposed judgment (Art. 211 para. 1 CPC), and for a request for written reasons for the decision (Art. 239 para. 2 CPC).
6 Art. 144 para. 1 CPC is generally only applicable to deadlines that are regulated in the CPC. The extendibility of statutory time limits under substantive law (e.g., Art. 439 para. 2, Art. 450b, Art. 521, Art. 533, and Art. 600 CC, etc.) and under debt and bankruptcy enforcement law (e.g., Art. 17 para. 2, Art. 18 para. 1, Art. 83 para. 2, and Art. 174 para. 1 of the SchKG, etc.) is not covered by Art. 144 para. 1 of the CPC and is governed by its own provisions (e.g., Art. 576 of the CC, Art. 33 para. 2 of the SchKG). It should be noted that the relevant provisions may refer to Art. 144 para. 1 CPC.
II. Extension of court deadlines (Art. 144 para. 2 CPC)
A. Court deadlines
7 Court (or judicial) deadlines are those whose duration is set in individual cases by the court or the presiding judge. These include both deadlines for submissions and payment deadlines. Some legal scholars also consider a deadline whose setting is expressly provided for in the Code of Civil Procedure, but whose duration is not (sufficiently) specified by law and must therefore be set by the court, to be a judicial deadline.
8 The assessment of a judicial deadline is at the court's discretion. Factors to be taken into account include, for example, the estimated time required for the procedural action, the urgency of the case, foreseeable difficulties in the investigation and procurement of evidence, and the seven-day collection period for registered mail in the case of deadlines fixed to a specific calendar day.
9 Examples of extendable court deadlines include the deadline for appointing a representative in the event of lack of capacity to conduct legal proceedings (Art. 69 para. 1 CPC), the (extended) deadline for paying the advance on costs (Art. 101 para. 1 and 3 CPC), the extended deadline in the event of an insufficient number of submissions (Art. 131 CPC), the grace period in the event of a formally defective submission (Art. 132 para. 1 and 2 CPC), the deadline for submitting an expert opinion (Art. 185 para. 3 CPC), the deadline for responding to a claim or counterclaim (Art. 222 para. 1 and 224 para. 3 CPC), the grace period for a missed response to the claim (Art. 223 para. 1 CPC), the deadlines in the second exchange of documents (Art. 225 CPC), the deadline for filing a claim in the case of precautionary measures prior to lis pendens (Art. 263 CPC) or for a claim for damages (Art. 374 para. 5 CPC). Since January 1, 2025, this has also included the time limit for exercising the right of reply, which is derived from Art. 29 para. 1 and 2 of the FC and Art. 6 no. 1 of the ECHR (Art. 53 para. 3 CPC).
10 For Art. 144 para. 2 CPC, too, the calculation of a time limit – and thus also the possibility of its extension – is generally governed by the law which sets the time limit. The extendibility of substantive law time limits is therefore also governed by the relevant provisions in the CC or CO. The same applies to debt collection and bankruptcy law. The extension of the court deadline for filing a lawsuit for the definitive registration of a building contractor's lien under Art. 961 para. 3 of the Swiss Civil Code (CC) is reserved, which is of a substantive nature but can nevertheless be extended under Art. 144 para. 2 of the Swiss Civil Procedure Code (CPC).
B. Extension for sufficient reasons
11 Court deadlines may be extended for sufficient reasons. A reason is considered “sufficient” if, based on general life experience, it is likely to prevent or at least impede the timely performance of the procedural act. The court or the presiding judge decides at its discretion, taking into account the specific circumstances of the individual case (importance of the reason given, interest in the proper conduct of the proceedings, urgency of the matter, etc.) when weighing up the interests involved. Art. 144 para. 2 CPC is therefore formulated as a “may” provision. However, an extension of the deadline must be granted if there are sufficient grounds; a refusal constitutes a denial of the right to a fair hearing.
12 The practice of the Federal Supreme Court is generally generous in affirming sufficient grounds if the proceedings are not particularly urgent and there are no overriding public or private interests opposing the extension of the deadline. According to some legal scholars, an extension should be granted if there are “reasonably plausible grounds” for why a deadline cannot be met. In any case, extensions are granted more cautiously in simplified and summary proceedings.
13 Examples of sufficient reasons: illness, vacation, hospitalization, death of a close relative, military or civil service, civil defense, imprisonment, absence, work overload or other time-sensitive work, dismissal of key employees, restructuring of the law firm, short-term appointment of a lawyer, missing documents, need to translate extensive evidence, technical difficulties, short-term lack of funds, distance, absence from the office, stay abroad, extensive or complex nature of the case, or reasons of procedural economy such as impending settlement negotiations or an imminent agreement between the parties. The aforementioned impediments may affect both the party itself and its legal representative or attorney.
14 The consent of the opposing party to the extension of the deadline may serve as sufficient grounds, especially in proceedings subject to the disposition maxim, but the court remains responsible for conducting the proceedings. The court or the presiding judge is not obliged to grant (multiple) requests for extension based on an agreement between the parties without further consideration if there are overriding public or private interests to the contrary. The revocation period in settlements is a private law period and not a court deadline. It can therefore only be extended by the opposing party, not by the court.
15 In principle, multiple extensions are possible, although each additional extension request is likely to be subject to increasingly stringent requirements regarding the reasons provided. Only in extremely exceptional cases are deadlines designated as “non-extendable” extendable, or does the approval of a further extension to a deadline already designated as “one-time,” “last time,” or “no longer extendable” appear appropriate. The same applies to (short) grace periods. Where the conditions for the reinstatement of a deadline (Art. 148 CPC) are met, an extension of the deadline must be granted in any case in order to avoid delays.
C. Request for extension of time
16 Although the Code of Civil Procedure does not expressly specify the form, the request for extension of time must generally be submitted to the competent court in writing or electronically, in compliance with the general formal requirements of Art. 130 CPC. The competent court or authority is generally the one that originally set the time limit to be extended.
17 The request for an extension of time must be submitted before the expiry of the time limit, at the latest by midnight on the last day. The general rule of Art. 143 CPC applies to the observance of the time limit; the request does not have to be received by the court during the current time limit or even be assessed by it. A request for an extension of time that is submitted late must be accepted as a request for reinstatement. An extension ex officio is generally excluded, except in cases where a grace period is set in accordance with Art. 101 para. 3 and Art. 223 para. 1 CPC.
18 It is essential to provide reasons for the request for an extension of time. The sufficient reasons must be stated in concise form and must generally be substantiated. It may also be necessary to submit relevant evidence, such as a doctor's certificate, marching orders, a booking confirmation, or similar. The desired duration of the extension must also be specified, which is determined by the date by which the party will be in a position to take the required procedural action under the known circumstances.
19 The request for an extension has suspensive effect in that the original deadline cannot expire before the court or the presiding judge decides on the extension. This does not apply to frivolous and abusive requests without serious grounds. As a precaution, requests for an extension of time should nevertheless be submitted as early as possible, i.e., as soon as sufficient grounds are known.
D. Decision on the extension of time
1. Procedural order
20 The court or the presiding judge decides on the extension of the deadline by means of a procedural order. Reasons need only be given in the case of unusually short or long extensions of the deadline or if the request for an extension is rejected; in all other cases, the request may be approved without giving reasons by means of a stamp indicating the specific duration of the extension.
21 For practical reasons, it is generally not necessary to obtain a prior statement from the opposing party on the request for an extension of time, at least in the case of first-time requests. However, the parties must be notified of the decision on the extension of time. Failure by the court or the presiding judge to respond to a request for an extension of time does not automatically mean that the request has been granted. The requesting party is required to inquire with the court or the presiding judge.
22 A procedural order concerning an extension of time can only be challenged by appeal if it threatens to cause a disadvantage that cannot be easily remedied. However, according to some legal scholars, if the request for an extension of time is rejected, there are generally no grounds for a threat of a disadvantage that cannot be easily remedied. If the extension of time is granted, the opposing party is also not generally aggrieved in the absence of a disadvantage that cannot be easily remedied; and therefore only in very rare cases, if at all, can it successfully appeal.
2. Consequences of the decision
23 If the court or the presiding judge approves the request for an extension, the extension shall follow on from the original deadline without interruption. Examples: If the deadline ends on Tuesday, September 6, the start of the extension, if approved, will be Wednesday, September 7. If the end of the original deadline falls on Saturday, September 10, the deadline will end on the following working day (Art. 142 para. 3 CPC). The current deadline is extended to Tuesday, September 13. The approval of an extension of the deadline does not affect the party's legal right to set a grace period – e.g., for the payment of the advance on costs pursuant to Art. 101 para. 3 CPC.
24 If the request for an extension is rejected, a short grace period (known as an “emergency deadline”) is granted in practice, provided that the request was not futile from the outset. In this context, the Federal Supreme Court ruled that the requesting party must nevertheless be granted a grace period to perform the time-bound action, unless the request must be considered frivolous or the requesting party should have assumed in good faith from the outset that that no extension would be granted because, for example, the deadline was marked “non-extendable” or “final.” In the case of “one-time,” “non-extendable,” or “final” deadlines, an extension is nevertheless not completely ruled out; the applicant may not rely on the setting of an emergency deadline if the request for an extension is rejected. If the emergency deadline is set for a specific calendar day, the seven-day collection period for registered mail pursuant to Art. 138 para. 3 lit. a CPC must be observed.
3. Duration and number of extensions
25 The court or the presiding judge has wide discretion in deciding how long or how often a deadline can be extended. The duration of the extension granted and the number of possible extensions must be adapted to the individual case. The reasons given for the extension must be weighed against the interest in a speedy conclusion of the proceedings.
26 In summary and simplified proceedings, shorter extensions must be granted than in ordinary proceedings, and the number of extensions granted must also be kept to a minimum. Even greater restraint is required in super-provisional proceedings.
27 Extensions of time limits for an indefinite period or to an indefinite date, as well as extensions of time limits that are too short, are not permissible. This is the case if the extended time limit is already about to expire when the extension is granted.
28 The duration of the extension must be specified in number of days, weeks, or months, or the extended deadline must be set to a specific calendar day. In the latter case, the seven-day collection period for registered mail must be observed. Any suspension of the deadline (Art. 145 CPC) must also be taken into account in the calculation.
29 In the procedural order granting the extension, the court or the presiding judge must also clearly indicate if he or she does not intend to approve any further requests for extension. For this purpose, the extension granted should be marked as “final,” “one-time,” or “not (further) extendable.” Otherwise, the parties may assume in good faith that a further request for an extension will be considered and, in the event of rejection, at least a short grace period will be granted, provided that the request is not frivolous.
Bibliography
Abbet Stéphane, Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO, in: Chabloz Isabelle/Dietschy-Martenet Patricia/Heinzmann Michel (Hrsg.), Petit commentaire Code de procédure civile, Basel 2020.
Benn Jurij, Kommentierung zu Art. 142 und 144 ZPO, in: Spühler Klaus/Tenchio Luca (Hrsg.), Basler Kommentar, Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung, 4. Aufl., Basel 2024 (zit. BSK-Benn).
Ernst Wolfgang/Oberholzer Serafin/Sunaric Predrag, Fristen und Fristberechnung im Zivilprozess (ZPO – BGG – SchKG), 2. Aufl., Zürich/St. Gallen 2021.
Frei Nina J., Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO, Berner Kommentar, Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung, Art. 1–149 ZPO, Band I, Bern 2012 (zit. BK-Frei).
Fuchs Nicolas, Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO, in: Sutter-Somm Thomas/Lötscher Cordula/Leuenberger Christoph/Seiler Benedikt (Hrsg.), Kommentar zur Schweizerischen Zivilprozessordnung (ZPO), 4. Aufl., Zürich 2025 (zit. ZK-Fuchs).
Gasser Dominik/Rickli Brigitte/Josi Christian, Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung Kurzkommentar, 3. Aufl., Zürich/St. Gallen 2024.
Hoffmann-Nowotny Urs H./Brunner Katrin, Kommentierung zu Vorb. zu Art. 142–149 ZPO und Art. 144 ZPO, in: Oberhammer Paul/Domej Tanja/Haas Ulrich (Hrsg.), Kurzkommentar Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung, 3. Aufl., Basel 2021.
Jenny Reto M./Abegg Mike, Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO, in: Gehri Myriam A./Jent-Sørensen Ingrid/Sarbach Martin (Hrsg.), Kommentar zur Schweizerischen Zivilprozessordnung, 3. Aufl., Zürich 2023 (zit. OFK-Jenny/Abegg).
Spühler Karl, Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO, in: Spühler Karl (Hrsg.), Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung Kurzkommentar, Zürich/Genf 2023.
Sutter-Somm Thomas/Seiler Benedikt, Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO; in: Sutter-Somm Thomas/Seiler Benedikt (Hrsg.), Handkommentar zur Schweizerischen Zivilprozessordnung, Zürich 2021 (zit. CHK-Sutter-Somm/Seiler).
Tanner Martin, Kommentierung zu Art. 142 und 144 ZPO, in: Brunner Alexander/Schwander Ivo/Vischer Moritz (Hrsg.), Kommentar Schweizerische Zivilprozessordnung, 3. Aufl., Zürich/St. Gallen 2024.
Tappy Denis, Kommentierung zu Art. 144 ZPO, in: Bohnet François/Haldy Jacques/Jeandin Nicolas/Schweizer Philippe/Tappy Denis, Commentaire romand Code de procédure civile, 2. Aufl., Basel 2019 (zit. CR-Tappy).