Fines, complaints and courts · French law
Civil cassation in France: five checks before filing
Civil cassation in France examines whether a decision complies with the law; it does not retry the evidence. It ordinarily concerns a decision rendered in last resort. The usual two-month period and representation by an avocat aux Conseils have specific qualifications. Start with the decision and its notification, not just the printed judgment date, and keep ordinary appeal distinct.
Informational guide. An independent qualified legal review has not been completed.
What you leave withA decision-and-notification file for discussion with counsel.
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Can cassation simply introduce new evidence?
No. Cassation is not a fresh factual trial with new evidence. It reviews conformity with rules of law.
Read the referencesLooking into civil cassation? We can organise the decision, notice and representation questions before discussion with specialist counsel.
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What are the five checks before civil cassation?
These five checks precede cost commitment: identify remedy and decision, then timing and representation before discussing a ground. They do not rank success probabilities.
Check the remedy
Cassation reviews conformity with law rather than simply retrying the case.
Read last-resort status
Identify the decision’s classification and remaining remedies.
Identify the starting rule
Keep notification/service evidence and the relevant timing provision.
Check representation
The ordinary framework requires an avocat au Conseil d’État et à la Cour de cassation.
Separate law from facts
Prepare the legal issue and records without treating factual disagreement as an established admissible ground.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 604 · Code de procédure civile · article 605 · Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Code de procédure civile · article 973 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Was the decision rendered in last resort?
Civil cassation concerns last-resort decisions within the relevant framework. An adverse outcome alone does not identify the immediately available remedy.
Locate the complete decision, classification and stated remedies. An ordinary appeal and cassation are not interchangeable stages.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 605
Which timing event and rule must be identified?
The ordinary civil cassation period is two months unless otherwise provided. Establish its start from notification/service rules and relevant circumstances.
Do not automatically use judgment delivery. Keep the received act and method; urgency or uncertain notice requires timely professional examination rather than reliance on an online counter.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Which lawyer can represent the party?
Representation by an avocat au Conseil d’État et à la Cour de cassation is the ordinary rule, subject to contrary provisions. Initial trial counsel should not automatically be assumed able to conduct every cassation stage alone.
Clarify the proposed mission and records for the appropriate professional. This guide prepares the file without offering Julie as representation.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 973 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
How does a legal ground differ from factual disagreement?
A cassation ground concerns conformity with law. It is not merely a request to reassess facts or submit additional evidence.
Identify the disputed passage, legal rule and reasoning retained. The professional examines formulation and scope; this worksheet does not announce admissibility.
| Element | Preparation question |
|---|---|
| Decision passage | Which reasoning is concerned? |
| Relied-on rule | Which legal issue requires examination? |
| Factual disagreement | Why is this more than asking for a retrial? |
References : Code de procédure civile · article 604
How should decision, notice and correspondence be assembled?
The file should explain successive decisions and notice. Selected favourable pages do not replace complete records.
- Full decision and relevant earlier decisions.
- Notification/service acts and dates.
- Submissions and records relevant to the legal issue.
- Remedy, mission and fee correspondence.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 605 · Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Code de procédure civile · article 973 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Which date matters when the judgment precedes service?
The fictional September judgment and October service are kept separately. The first dated record does not automatically start the period.
Decision classification and the applicable framework still need review. The example gives no personalised filing date.
Fictional file: the judgment is dated in September and service in October. Both records, decision classification and the applicable starting rule are preserved. A deadline is not calculated from the first document alone.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Which questions come before committing to fees and procedure?
Before committing, clarify available remedy, representation, scope and stated costs. An organised file makes the legal question examinable.
Julie can organise documents and questions. It replaces neither required counsel nor analysis of a cassation ground.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 604 · Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Code de procédure civile · article 973 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
French criminal law AI: information, evidence and urgent handoff
What else should you check?
Can cassation simply introduce new evidence?
No. Cassation is not a fresh factual trial with new evidence. It reviews conformity with rules of law.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 604
Does every civil decision immediately permit cassation?
No. Identify the relevant remedy and last-resort status before preparing an application.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 605
Do the two months always run from pronouncement?
No. Establish the starting rule and notification/service acts. Two months does not invariably run from judgment delivery.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Can the original trial lawyer always conduct the cassation alone?
Not automatically. The ordinary framework requires specialist avocats aux Conseils, subject to statutory exceptions. Check mission and required qualification.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 973 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Do criminal and administrative cassation use the same timetable?
No. This guide concerns civil cassation. Criminal and administrative routes have separate provisions, periods and representation rules.
References : Code de procédure civile · article 604 · Code de procédure civile · article 612 · Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civil
Which sources support this page?
Official texts remain in French. The explanations above describe French law. A source check records a reading date; it is not qualified legal review.
- Code de procédure civile · article 604Source checked : · Version from 1980-01-01
- Code de procédure civile · article 605Source checked : · Version from 1980-01-01
- Code de procédure civile · article 612Source checked : · Version from 1980-01-01
- Code de procédure civile · article 973Source checked : · Version from 1980-01-01
- Service Public · pourvoi en cassation civilSource checked :