Conciliation request

In many Swiss civil matters, a claimant must first file a conciliation request with the competent conciliation authority before bringing the case to court. The request identifies the parties, the dispute and the relief sought, but is generally less formal than a full statement of claim. It interrupts or affects procedural timing and leads to a conciliation hearing. If settlement fails, the authority may issue an authorization to proceed, or in certain cases make a proposal or decide within its limited competence.