High-voltage switches capable of operating at high speeds and over a wide range of voltages and energies are used in a wide variety of applications in material science and plasma physics. This paper discusses the fabrication and characterization of a novel high-voltage shock switch. The structure has been designed to operate as a fast-turn-on, low-impedance device. The switch is a planar structure that allows for direct integration into the stripline geometries used in a conventional capacitive discharge unit.