Latest Rulings of the Federal Court
Here you will find the most recent rulings of the Federal Court (BGer) from bger.ch. For the first three rulings, we present detailed summaries including facts, considerations, and orders. In the subsequent rulings, you will find a summary of the facts. The complete summaries of all rulings are available on the portal of Lexplorer. There you can configure your newsletter and receive the latest rulings tailored to your areas of law.
1C_606/2025: Decision on the appeal regarding the vote on the e-ID legislation
Summary of the Facts
On September 28, 2025, the federal proposal for federal legislation on electronic identity and evidence (e-ID Act) was narrowly accepted. The appellant Cédric Aklin requested the Federal Chancellery to suspend the validation of the voting results and a complete recount of the votes in certain cantons that showed unusual patterns. The government of the canton of Neuchâtel deemed this request inadmissible, as the questions raised went beyond the cantonal framework. The appellant then filed an appeal with the Federal Court on October 16, 2025.
Summary of the Considerations
The Federal Court examines appeals concerning federal votes according to Art. 82 lit. c BGG. Accordingly, there is a heightened requirement for the justification of the appeal (Art. 42 and 106 para. 2 BGG). The appellant presented largely general arguments and did not demonstrate how the government of the canton of Neuchâtel would have violated a formal prohibition of denial of justice or his right to be heard according to Art. 29 BV. His justification does not meet the requirements, which is why the Federal Court could not examine the case substantively.
Summary of the Order
The appeal was declared inadmissible, with no court costs imposed.
2C_548/2024: Decision on mandatory minimum wages and sanctions under Geneva cantonal law
Summary of the Facts
A.________ was sanctioned by the Geneva cantonal labor inspection authority for insufficient remuneration of two household helpers of his deceased father. These helpers, D.________ and E.________, worked under precarious conditions and received wages below the minimum wages set in the cantonal contract for the home care and support industry. A.________ contests the qualification as an employer and argues that the employment contracts represent representative actions and a co-employer situation with his father. However, the lower court held A.________ solely responsible and confirmed a fine of CHF 29,400.
Summary of the Considerations
1. Admissibility of the appeal: The Federal Court declares the appeal admissible. However, it does not separately address the original decision of the cantonal authority, as this was fully reviewed by the lower court. (E.1) 2. Establishment of facts: The lower court considered A.________ solely as the employer based on his administrative and organizational role as well as his sole interaction with the employees. The Federal Court shares this view, as no sufficient evidence for a representative action or co-ownership between A.________ and his father was presented. (E.6) 3. Determination of the fine: The fine of CHF 29,400 is deemed justified, as the underpayment occurred over several years and A.________'s cooperation with the authority was deficient. Despite the repayment of part of the wages, the situation is serious. (E.7) 4. Principle of good faith: The Federal Court rejects A.________'s argument that he could have relied on the inactivity of the authority during a control in 2019, believing that his behavior was correct. It supports the view of the lower court that A.________'s false statements in the inquiry influenced the authority's lack of follow-up. (E.8)
Summary of the Order
The appeal was dismissed and court costs were imposed on A.________.
7B_964/2025: Decision regarding the extension of pre-trial detention
Summary of the Facts
The appellant was taken into pre-trial detention on suspicion of serious bodily injury and possible domestic violence, as well as in connection with the death of his partner. Due to various witness statements, previous police reports, and a medical autopsy that identified brutal injuries to the deceased, an extension of detention is being considered against the appellant. He denies the suspicion of the crime and requested his release.
Summary of the Considerations
**E.1**: The appeal against the decision of the lower court is admissible, as it could cause irreparable harm and was submitted within the prescribed period.
**E.2**: The appellant denies significant grounds for suspicion. The Federal Court analyzes that the state of investigation continues to show strong grounds for suspicion, particularly through witness statements from the victim's relatives, previous police reports, and the autopsy result. The court reaffirms that the existing evidence is sufficient to justify detention.
**E.3**: The appellant argues against the existence of a flight risk and cites his close ties to Switzerland. The court points out that the significant threat of punishment and his connections abroad make the risk of flight more likely. Alternative measures such as the confiscation of identification documents are not sufficient.
Summary of the Order
The appeal is dismissed, and the request for free legal assistance is granted.
4D_189/2025: Decision of the Federal Court on tenant eviction: No admission of appeal
Summary of the Facts
A tenant eviction procedure concerns the residence of A.________ in a single-family house. The District Court of Münchwilen upheld the eviction application of B.________ AG. The appeal filed by A.________ was dismissed by the Cantonal Court of Thurgau due to non-payment of the advance on costs. A.________ then filed an appeal with the Federal Court.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
1C_600/2025: Decision regarding an appeal against the vote on the federal law on electronic identity and other evidence
Summary of the Facts
Two eligible voters from the canton of Neuchâtel filed an appeal with the Federal Court after the State Council of the canton of Neuchâtel declared their submission regarding a nationwide vote inadmissible. The vote, which had an extremely narrow result, concerned the federal law on electronic identity (e-ID). The appellants objected to statistical discrepancies as well as delays in the publication of results and demanded a recount of the votes in all affected cantons. The Federal Court declared the appeal inadmissible due to insufficient justification.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_291/2024: Decision on the standing of appeals in connection with the regulation of a wolf pack
Summary of the Facts
The Office for Nature, Hunting, and Fishing of the canton of St. Gallen ordered, with the consent of the Federal Office for the Environment, the removal of wolves from the Calfeisental pack by shooting. The appellant filed an appeal in her own name and on behalf of the wolves against the shooting order. The cantonal authorities and ultimately the Federal Court assessed the standing of the appellant and the wolves negatively.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
9C_286/2024: Ruling on the tax deductibility of alimony payments
Summary of the Facts
The taxpayer A.________, residing in Geneva, claimed an amount of CHF 84,324 as a deduction for alimony payments in his tax return for the year 2021. These payments were transferred to a joint bank account that he holds with his estranged wife in Spain. The cantonal tax authority denied the deductibility on the grounds that the taxpayer could still access the funds due to the joint account ownership. After his objection was rejected by the cantonal tax authorities, A.________ filed an appeal, which was dismissed by the lower court and ultimately by the Federal Court.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
9C_439/2025: No admission of an appeal due to missed deadlines in tax proceedings
Summary of the Facts
A taxpayer who had moved his residence from Zurich to Sweden filed an objection against the assessment of his federal, municipal, and direct federal taxes for the 2021 tax period. The assessment authority did not admit the objection due to missed deadlines. After unsuccessful appeals to the tax appeal court and the administrative court of the canton of Zurich, the taxpayer turned to the Federal Court, where the administrative court also had not admitted the case due to missed deadlines.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
8C_498/2025: Decision regarding social assistance and the admissibility of the appeal
Summary of the Facts
The Federal Court had to address the question of whether the appeal against the decision of the Court of Justice of the Republic and Canton of Geneva regarding the termination of social assistance benefits and the recovery of already made payments is admissible. The appeal was filed by the grandmother of the beneficiary. She pointed out that the decision was made based on a false assessment of her grandson's actual place of residence.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_458/2024: Access to official documents and standing in environmental matters
Summary of the Facts
A.________ requested access to official documents from the Federal Office for the Environment (BAFU) and opposed decisions regarding the proactive regulation of wolf packs. BAFU partially denied access to documents, citing an ongoing court procedure. The Federal Administrative Court dismissed the complaint as far as it was admitted. The standing of A.________ regarding the approval orders was denied. The claims for access to documents by the appellant were rejected.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_420/2025: Professional practice prohibition for a doctor during the appeal process
Summary of the Facts
A doctor, A.________, with a professional practice permit in the canton of Zurich, issued certificates during the Covid-19 pandemic that were deemed by the supervisory authorities as "favor certificates." He repeatedly refused to provide complete patient records and displayed uncooperative behavior towards the cantonal health authorities throughout the entire process. This led to the temporary revocation of his professional practice permit and a fine. A.________ requested the restoration of the suspensive effect of his appeals, which was denied by the lower courts and ultimately by the Federal Court.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
4A_41/2025: Ruling on the dispute over rent reduction and defects regarding the occupancy of a rental property
Summary of the Facts
The A.________ GmbH (tenant) operated a club in a premises rented from B.________ AG in U.________. The cantonal authorities ordered a maximum occupancy of 200 persons and required adjustments to the structural situation for an increase. The tenant complained about this as a defect of the rental property and demanded structural measures. The landlord refused the remediation of the defects citing fire safety requirements. This led to a lawsuit, appeal, and finally an appeal to the Federal Court.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
9C_397/2024: Determination of the imputed rental value of a property located in France for the 2020 tax period
Summary of the Facts
A.________, owner of a house in France, declared an imputed rental value of CHF 2,692.- for the property in his 2020 tax return. The tax administration of the canton of Bern increased this value to CHF 11,680.-, which was confirmed by the tax appeal commission and the administrative court of the canton of Bern. A.________ requested the consideration of a French "valeur locative cadastrale" or at least a reasonable reduction of the imputed rental value.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
7B_516/2025: Decision on the non-admission in a criminal proceeding
Summary of the Facts
A.________ filed a criminal complaint against B.________ and unknown persons for forgery, incitement, abuse of office, and bribery. The public prosecutor's office of the canton of Schaffhausen did not take up the criminal investigation. The appellate court of the canton of Schaffhausen also dismissed A.________'s subsequent appeal, as far as it was admitted. A.________ then filed a criminal appeal to the Federal Court aiming to compel the public prosecutor's office to initiate criminal proceedings.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_188/2025: Family reunification of adult children of Kosovo origin - issues of admissibility and serious family reasons
Summary of the Facts
Two adult Kosovo siblings, whose father is a Swiss citizen and whose mother obtained a residence permit through family reunification, are seeking family reunification in Switzerland. The Federal Administrative Court dismissed their appeal against the refusal of reunification by the State Secretariat for Migration. They then applied to the Federal Court for permission for family reunification.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
9F_20/2025: Request for revision regarding administrative fees of the canton of St. Gallen, submission period 2024
Summary of the Facts
The procedure concerns court costs that have been imposed on the applicant in previous decisions of the district and cantonal courts of St. Gallen and the Federal Court. The applicant repeatedly filed complaints against these costs and requested their waiver, which were rejected without substantive examination. The dispute repeated itself through further submissions, which were also rejected.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_593/2024: Unauthorized activity as an issuing house
Summary of the Facts
The B.________ AG and its founders and board members C.________, D.________, and A.________ were at the center of an enforcement procedure by FINMA due to suspicion of operating as an issuing house or securities house without permission. The allegations concerned the sale of shares of B.________ AG, which were conducted without the necessary permission. FINMA ordered the liquidation of B.________ AG and prohibitory instructions to be published under threat of penalties. A.________, as the chairman of the board of B.________ AG, challenged the order and its confirmation by the Federal Administrative Court at the Federal Court.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
9C_223/2025: Place of actual management and inter-cantonal double taxation
Summary of the Facts
The A.________ AG was founded in August 2019 and initially had its statutory seat in the canton of Schwyz, later in the canton of Zurich. The dispute concerned whether the actual management of the company took place from its statutory seat (canton of Schwyz) or from the municipality Y.________ in the canton of Zurich. The Federal Court examines whether this has resulted in inter-cantonal double taxation.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_89/2025: Appeal against non-admission decision on disciplinary warning
Summary of the Facts
The student B.A.________ received a written warning from the management of the cantonal school C.________. The father, A.A.________, filed an appeal with the Department of Education, Culture and Sport of the canton of Aargau, which did not admit it. The Administrative Court of the canton of Aargau confirmed this non-admission decision. Against these rulings, A.A.________ and B.A.________ appealed to the Federal Court. The main question is the admissibility of the appeal and the lower courts regarding the warning.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
7B_811/2025: Procedure for the early realization of a confiscated vehicle
Summary of the Facts
The Public Prosecutor's Office of Winterthur/Unterland confiscated a Lamborghini Urus vehicle in the course of a criminal investigation against a third party for mismanagement and other offenses. The A.________ GmbH claimed to be the owner of the vehicle and opposed the confiscation and early realization. The Federal Court examined whether the early realization was lawful and proportionate, as well as whether the right to be heard and the requirement for expeditiousness were complied with.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
5A_113/2025: Claim for damages in connection with an estate administration
Summary of the Facts
The Federal Court examines an appeal against the ruling of the Cantonal Court of Graubünden, which dismissed a claim for damages from an heir against an executor. The dispute concerns expenses incurred by the appellant due to alleged misconduct of the opponent as an executor. The Cantonal Court dismissed the appellant's claim based on the blocking effect of a judged matter and lack of standing.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_540/2025: Withdrawal of the appeal regarding equal treatment in education
Summary of the Facts
A.________ filed an appeal against a ruling of the Administrative Court of the canton of Fribourg (decision of July 9, 2025) regarding a dispute over measures to compensate for disadvantages related to dysorthography as well as equal treatment in the educational sector. During the proceedings, the appellant withdrew her appeal to the Federal Court on October 14, 2025.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.
2C_596/2024: Appeal against the publication of a cease-and-desist order in the financial market sector
Summary of the Facts
The case concerns an order from FINMA, which establishes the unauthorized activity as an issuing or securities house of a group of participants, including the appellant A.________. In addition to the dissolution and liquidation of B.________ AG, FINMA issued a cease-and-desist order and its publication for a period of five years. The Federal Administrative Court dismissed A.________'s appeal against the publication order. The appellant subsequently approached the Federal Court.
Complete summary of the ruling can be found in the Portal.