As the first legal history of Switzerland in English, this seminal work presents the legal development in the territory of today's Switzerland. Until 1798, the Swiss Confederation consisted of a conglomerate of around 50 local authorities with different constitutional statuses. The number of legislative jurisdictions was even greater; each territory, however small, had its own legal system before 1798. In the 19th century, legal unity was initially created within the framework of cantonal law and, since 1848, at the national level. Key developments of the 20th century were equality between men and women, social legislation and the influence of technological development.

The focus of the book is on constitutional history, legal sources and legislation, court proceedings and jurisprudence. It also presents the political, economic and social backgrounds of legal developments