Main hearing in criminal proceedings

In Swiss criminal procedure, the main hearing is the trial before the competent criminal court after the indictment or comparable referral. It normally includes verification of the parties, treatment of preliminary issues, questioning of the accused, taking or reviewing evidence, pleadings, and the judgment. The hearing expresses key procedural principles: publicity, immediacy, orality, adversarial participation, and the right to be heard. The court may restrict publicity in protected situations, for example to safeguard minors, victims, or important private interests.