What is the task of judges?
Was ist die Aufgabe der Richterinnen und Richter?
Correct answer: B
- A They supervise the administration.Sie überwachen die Verwaltung.
- B They deliver court judgments.Sie fällen Gerichtsurteile.
- C They defend the accused.Sie verteidigen die Angeklagten.
- D They draft laws.Sie verfassen Gesetze.
Why
Courts are the judicial power. Judges decide cases according to the law and deliver judgments.
Common mistakes
- C: They defend the accused.
- The accused are defended by lawyers. Judges must remain impartial.
- D: They draft laws.
- Laws are made by Parliament, not by the courts.
- A: They supervise the administration.
- The administration is mainly supervised by Parliament. Courts only examine individual cases.
Topic
Judges work at courts. Their task is to deliver judgments. They decide whether someone has broken a law and what punishment they receive. They also decide disputes between people or with authorities. They do not defend the accused; a lawyer does that. Nor do they write laws; Parliament does that.
The three powers control each other.
Legislature
Legislative
makes the laws
Confederation
Federal Assembly
Bundesversammlung
National Council 200 + Council of States 46
Canton of Zurich
Cantonal Council
Kantonsrat
180 members
Executive
Exekutive
carries out the laws
Confederation
Federal Council
Bundesrat
7 members
Canton of Zurich
Cantonal Government
Regierungsrat
7 members
Judiciary
Judikative
judges according to the law
Confederation
Federal Supreme Court
Bundesgericht
Lausanne
Canton of Zurich
Courts
Fourth power the media, which observe politics and the authorities critically.
How the state works
Separation of powers
Sources
Last checked: September 2026
Question 72 of the official question list of the Canton of Zurich (Gemeindeamt, May 2025). Translation and explanation: Swiss Passport.