ABSTRACT
The trial courts comprise the Tribunal de police, the Tribunal correctionnel and the Cour d’assises. It is intended to examine the function, structure and role of each court in turn.
The Tribunaux de police
The Tribunaux de police are the courts which are appropriate in the case of a contravention. They are merely Tribunaux d’instance in a different guise. As with civil cases, judgment is given by a single judge (sometimes, in the smaller courts, the same one who is responsible for civil cases). There is no appeal (except for a review on a point of law to the Cour de cassation) from a conviction imposed by the Tribunal de police where the sentence involved was less than a fine of FF 1,300, or imprisonment for a period of five days unless civil damages were also awarded to the partie civile.
