. In addition to original jurisdiction in
all matters that have been named, the Court is required by the
constitution to exercise appellate jurisdiction in cases carried on
appeal, by mutual consent of the parties, from the cantonal courts.
For the adjudication of civil cases the Court divides itself into two
chambers of seven members each, presided over respectively by the
president and vice-president.

[Footnote 640: Art. 114. Dodd, Modern
Constitutions, II., 287.]

*483. Criminal and Public Law Jurisdiction.*--The tribunal's criminal
jurisdiction is less extensive. It covers, in the main, cases of high
treason against the Confederation, crimes and misdemeanors against the
law of nations, political crimes and misdemeanors of such seriousness
as to occasion armed federal intervention, and charges against
officers appointed by a federal authority, when such authority makes
application to the Federal Court. In cases falling within any one of
these categories the Court is required to employ a jury to decide
questions of fact. With the consent of the Federal Assembly, criminal
cases of other kinds may be referred to the Federal Court by the
cantonal governments. For the trial of criminal cases the Court is
divided each year into four chambers, each of three members, save the
fourth and highest, the Kassationshof, or Court of Appeals, which has
five. The Confederation is divided into three Assizenbezirke, or
assize districts, and from time to time one of the criminal chambers
sits in each.

Within the domain of public law the Court is given cognizance of
conflicts of jurisdiction between federal and cantonal authorities,
conflicts between cantons when arising out of questions of public law,
complaints of violation of the constitutional rights of citizens, and
complaints of individuals by reason of the violation of concordates or
treaties. In actual operation, the range of powers which would appear
thus to be conferred is much restricted by a clause which declares
that "conflicts of administrative jurisdiction are reserved, and are
to be settled in a manner prescribed by federal legislation."[641]
Legislation in pursuance of this clause has withdrawn from the
jurisdiction of the Court a long list of possible subjects of
litigation. Like European courts generally, the Swiss Federal Court
possesses no power to determine the constitutionality of law, federal
or cantonal. On the contrary