Chambers
The Federal Criminal Court currently consists of three chambers: the Criminal Chamber, the Lower Appeals Chamber and the Higher Appeals Chamber.
The judges of the Federal Criminal Court are elected by the Federal Assembly. The judges of the Court of Appeals are elected specifically for that court.
The Plenary Court is responsible for the establishment of the Criminal Court and the Court of Criminal Complaints, as well as the nomination of the presidents and vice-presidents of the courts, upon the proposal of the Administrative Commission.
The Criminal Chamber rules in the first instance for criminal offences expressly falling under federal jurisdiction under Articles 23 and 24 of the Swiss Criminal Procedure Code (CPC, SR 312). In addition, it has some general and administrative criminal law jurisdiction under various federal acts.
The Lower Appeals Chamber hears federal criminal appeals against procedural decisions and actions by the Swiss Federal Police and the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG), as well as against decisions taken by coercive measures courts and the Criminal Chamber. Furthermore, Art. 37 para. 2 of the Criminal Justice Authorities Act (CJAA, SR 173.71) grants the chamber various other competences, notably in international mutual assistance for criminal matters and in administrative criminal law.
As the second instance in federal criminal cases, the Higher Appeals Chamber hears appeals against Criminal Chamber judgments that wholly or partially conclude proceedings as well as applications for a review of judgments.