Fines, complaints and courts · Civil procedure · case management
Civil case management and closure in France
Case management prepares French civil proceedings for judgment by organising claims, arguments and exhibits. For proceedings introduced on or after 1 September 2025, preparation is convention-based in principle and judicial otherwise. The actual timetable governs exchanges. Closure then restricts further submissions and evidence, subject to the exceptions set out in the procedural rules.
Text in force1 September 2025Sources checked19 October 2026
- Official texts cited
- Sources checked on
- Drafted with AI assistance, our method
General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.
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Does priority listing remove the need to exchange exhibits?
No. Priority listing for conventionally prepared cases does not remove adversarial exchanges or preparation of claims and evidence. The agreement must preserve the governing principles of a fair trial.
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Is case management always run by a judge?
No. For proceedings introduced on or after 1 September 2025, articles 127 onwards establish conventional preparation in principle, with judicial preparation otherwise. Transitional scope matters for older cases. Identify the initiating document, any agreement and orders already made rather than assuming every file follows the same route.
Which documents distinguish the three preparation frameworks?
| Framework | Document to find | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Simplified conventional preparation | Agreement and notice to the judge | Arrangements and acts advancing the case |
| Participatory procedure | Agreement with lawyers | End date and communication to the court |
| Judicial preparation | Orders and timetable | Periods specific to the case |
How can you collect the dates actually set?
The worksheet records dates supplied by the agreement or court. It flags an inconsistent order without inventing or extending a deadline.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Use the actual court timetable. No generic three- or six-month period replaces the dates in your case.
- Last exchange
- 2026-11-05
- Scheduled closure
- 2026-11-25
- Scheduled hearing
- 2026-12-03
- Keep the agreement or order establishing each date.
- Plan communication of submissions and exhibits to both sides before closure.
- Ask the lawyer to examine a timetable difficulty promptly, with supporting material.
- Distinguish an adjourned hearing, timetable extension and revocation of an existing closure order.
Fictional example, not a statutory deadline calculation. Have any conflicting order clarified; the worksheet changes no date.
What can an agreement between lawyers organise?
Simplified conventional preparation can organise exchanges of submissions and exhibits, with its arrangements reported to the court after proceedings start. Participatory preparation is a separate framework in which each party has a lawyer. The court remains seized: an agreement does not transfer the power to decide the dispute.
CPC article 129-1CPC article 129-2CPC article 130CPC article 130-2
How should you read a judicial timetable?
The judge sets periods having regard to the nature, urgency and complexity of the case after hearing the lawyers. A timetable may distinguish exchanges, closure, hearing and judgment. Record each date with its source. Extending a judicial timetable requires a properly substantiated serious reason; an informal arrangement does not move it.
Can an exhibit still be disclosed after closure?
As a rule, closure makes new submissions and exhibits inadmissible, subject to article 802 exceptions. Finding an important document does not itself make it admissible. Record when it was discovered, its relevance and why it is late so your lawyer can examine the procedural route.
What does the governing text say about case management?
les affaires sont instruites conventionnellement par les parties. A défaut, elles le sont judiciairement.
In plain English: Article 127’s conventional default concerns proceedings introduced on or after 1 September 2025. Judicial timetabling and closure rules have their own conditions and transitional scope.
What is required to revoke a closure order?
Article 803 requires a serious reason revealed after the order. Appointing a lawyer after closure is not sufficient by itself. Distinguish this request from extending the timetable before closure or merely postponing a hearing: those steps have different purposes and conditions.
What else should you know about case management?
Does priority listing remove the need to exchange exhibits?
No. Priority listing for conventionally prepared cases does not remove adversarial exchanges or preparation of claims and evidence. The agreement must preserve the governing principles of a fair trial.
Does signing an agreement always stop procedural lapse?
No. A simplified agreement must be performed through acts that advance the case. A participatory agreement follows the distinct article 130-3 regime. Keep records of the steps actually taken.
Does a lawyer’s delay necessarily close the whole case?
Article 800 includes partial closure affecting the defaulting lawyer, with conditions for withdrawal. Read the actual order rather than inferring its effects from a reminder message.
Do the 2025 closure changes affect older cases?
The transitional notes to articles 799 and 803 also cover proceedings pending on 1 September 2025. Their scope differs from the new conventional default, so check each provision separately.
Which sources explain case management?
- CPC article 127DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 128DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 129-1DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 129-2DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 129-3DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 130DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 130-2DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 130-3DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 780DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 781DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 799DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 800DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 802DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 803DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
Texts cited last checked: 19 October 2026