Instant confirmationMe Usman Toseef
Obwalden · Family law
CHF 10.–/h
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Lawyer in Sarnen
Verified lawyers in Obwalden’s capital on Lake Sarnen, where the courts for the whole canton sit, Engelberg included.
- No practitioner registered in the canton
Sarnen lies in the canton of Obwalden, in the canton of Obwalden.
Sarnen lies in the canton of Obwalden, in the canton of Obwalden.
The local picture
Sarnen
Sarnen, at the northern end of Lake Sarnen, is the capital of the canton of Obwalden and the seat of its courts. The Kantonsgericht Obwalden (cantonal court) is the only first-instance court: it hears civil, criminal and employment cases from every municipality. Appeals against administrative decisions go to the Verwaltungsgericht Obwalden, tenancy disputes to the Schlichtungsbehörde Obwalden. This also applies to Engelberg, the canton’s exclave, even though the road from there to Sarnen runs through Nidwalden.
For questions about land, holiday homes or businesses in tourism and trades, ora. lists practitioners in property, tenancy, construction and employment law. On ora., every lawyer is checked against a cantonal bar register and every legal adviser against their Swiss law degree. You book at the office or by video; ora.’s service fee is kept separate from the practitioner’s fee.
Practitioners
Lawyers in Sarnen
No practitioner is registered in the canton of Obwalden yet. Those below meet clients by video call, anywhere in Switzerland.
Nearest first: offices in Sarnen, then the district and the canton, then those who meet by video call in your language.
See all practitionersBy video call, anywhere in Switzerland3 practitioners
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Paola Arcidiacono
Obwalden · Commercial law
CHF 140.–/h
No reviews yet
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Yann Bevilacqua
Genève · Commercial law
CHF 350.–/h
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Justice in Sarnen
Which authority for which dispute?
Before you consult, it helps to know who decides. These are the competent authorities for Sarnen, each with its official website.
Source: Federal Statistical Office (FSO), swisstopo
- Tenancy
- Work
- Family
- Criminal
- Legal aid
Source: Federal Statistical Office (FSO), swisstopo
Tenancy
Tenancy: the Schlichtungsbehörde Obwalden
A dispute over rent, defects or a notice to quit starts at the Schlichtungsbehörde Obwalden, the cantonal conciliation board. It covers every municipality, Engelberg included, and tries to bring tenant and landlord to an agreement at a hearing. With holiday flats and second homes, the line between a tenancy and accommodation services often raises questions. If no agreement is reached, the claim goes to the Kantonsgericht Obwalden.
- Official website
Competent authority
Schlichtungsbehörde Obwalden
Serves: the whole canton
Related situations
Work
Employment: the Kantonsgericht
Obwalden has no separate employment court: disputes arising from employment go to the Kantonsgericht Obwalden (cantonal court), the canton’s only first-instance court. That covers dismissal, wages, overtime or references, including seasonal jobs in tourism and hospitality. An employment lawyer reviews the contract, deadlines and evidence before you bring a claim.
- Official website
Competent authority
Kantonsgericht Obwalden
Serves: the whole canton
Related situations
Family
Family: one court in Sarnen
Separation, divorce, custody and maintenance go first to the Kantonsgericht Obwalden in Sarnen, whether you live in Sarnen, Alpnach, Kerns or Engelberg. Because there is only one first-instance court, jurisdiction is clear. A family lawyer reviews your options and the prospects of an agreement with you before any proceedings begin.
- Official website
Competent authority
Kantonsgericht Obwalden
Serves: the whole canton
Related situations
Criminal
Criminal law: prosecutor and Kantonsgericht
Criminal investigations are led by the Staatsanwaltschaft Obwalden (public prosecutor), which often closes simple cases with a penalty order. If charges are brought, the Kantonsgericht Obwalden tries the case. The deadline for objecting to a penalty order is short. Whether you are accused or want to report an offence as a victim, speak to a lawyer before your first interview.
- Official website
Competent authority
Staatsanwaltschaft Obwalden
Serves: the whole canton
Related situations
Legal aid
Legal aid: apply to the court
If you cannot pay for proceedings and your case is not without prospects, you can apply for legal aid. In Obwalden, the application goes to the court competent for the case, which at first instance is the Kantonsgericht Obwalden. It can cover court costs and the appointment of a lawyer. A practitioner can tell you whether your situation qualifies.
- Official website
Competent authority
Legal aid (application to the competent court)
Serves: the whole canton
Areas of law
Areas covered in Sarnen
One panel for each area in which verified practitioners work in the canton of Obwalden. Other areas remain available by video call.
No practitioner in the canton of Obwalden yet
Nobody in the canton is registered for these areas yet. Practitioners from elsewhere can meet you by video call.
- Family law
- Employment law
- Commercial law
- Contract law
- Property law
- Landlord and tenant law
- Criminal law
- Immigration law
- Succession law
- Intellectual property law
- Insurance law
- Tax law
- Debt enforcement law
- Administrative law
- Data protection law
- Arbitration
Common situations
The questions that come up most
Six common situations in the areas where most practitioners work in the canton of Obwalden.
Pricing on ora.
Two lines, never one total
Each practitioner sets their own fees and shows them on their profile before you book. You pay ora., which collects on the practitioner’s behalf; ora. charges its service fee on a separate line.
- Practitioner's feeSet by the practitioner, paid out to the practitioner
- ora. service fee (non-refundable)A separate line, paid to ora.
- You choose an appointment
- You pay ora., which collects for the practitioner
- The work takes place
- If you disagree, ora. mediates
Cantonal registers checked by hand
- Geneva
- Vaud
- Neuchâtel
- Fribourg
- Valais
- Jura
We keep the name of the register and the date of every check.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions in Sarnen
Local answers, checked against official sources. A practitioner can look at your situation in detail.
See all questionsIs the court in Sarnen also competent for Engelberg?
Yes. Engelberg is an exclave of the canton of Obwalden, so the Obwalden courts and authorities apply there – the Kantonsgericht Obwalden and the Verwaltungsgericht Obwalden in Sarnen, the Schlichtungsbehörde Obwalden and the Staatsanwaltschaft Obwalden. Driving through Nidwalden on the way to Sarnen makes no difference. A video meeting saves you the journey.
Who decides an employment dispute in Sarnen?
The Kantonsgericht Obwalden (cantonal court), as Obwalden has no separate employment court. It decides disputes over dismissal, wages, overtime or references, including for seasonal jobs. Before you bring a claim, an employment lawyer reviews your contract, the deadlines and the prospects of a settlement with the employer.
Where does a dispute over a flat or holiday flat in Sarnen start?
At the Schlichtungsbehörde Obwalden (conciliation board), provided there is a tenancy. It invites both sides to a hearing and looks for an agreement; if that fails, the claim goes to the Kantonsgericht Obwalden. Whether a holiday flat was rented or merely booked as accommodation can decide which body is competent – a lawyer clarifies this first.
How much does a lawyer in Sarnen cost?
Each practitioner sets their own fee, depending on the area of law and the work involved, and you see it on the profile before you book. ora.’s service fee is a separate line and is never added into the practitioner’s fee. If you cannot afford proceedings, you can apply for legal aid: in the canton of Obwalden, the application goes to the court competent for the case, which at first instance is the Kantonsgericht Obwalden.
Next step
Find your practitioner in Sarnen
Choose an area of law: the directory opens on the practitioners who work near you.
- Video consultation
- Online booking