Fines, complaints and courts · Debt recovery · conservatory seizure
Conservatory seizure before judgment in France
A French conservatory measure may be sought before an enforceable title where the debt appears well founded in principle and circumstances threaten recovery. Prior judicial authorisation is the rule, with specific exceptions. The seizure preserves security; it does not automatically pay the creditor. Execution, obtaining a title, conversion and release involve separate formalities and time periods.
- Substantiate debt and recovery risk
- Authorisation or precise exception
- Separate seizure and conversion
- 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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Can the commercial court president authorise a measure?
Before proceedings, the commercial court president may act for a debt within commercial jurisdiction. The enforcement judge is the general route. Check the parties’ status and subject matter.
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Can conservatory seizure precede a judgment?
Yes, the mechanism can precede an enforceable title. Article L511-1 nevertheless requires an apparently well-founded debt and circumstances threatening recovery. Authorisation is sought from the competent judge without a prior command. A wish to accelerate payment or an isolated invoice does not itself establish the conditions.
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-1Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-3
When is prior authorisation unnecessary?
Article L511-2 lists exceptions, including an enforceable title, a decision not yet enforceable and specifically defined unpaid obligations. Check the exact document category, such as the payment instrument or written lease concerned. Dispensing with authorisation does not remove substantive conditions or possible court scrutiny.
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-2Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-1Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L512-1
Which document starts each time check?
| Act | Check | Useful evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Authorisation order | Execute within three months | Order and seizure report |
| Measure without a title | Start title-obtaining steps, generally within a month | Seizure and filing evidence |
| Required acts for third-party seizure | Serve evidence within eight days of those acts | Acts and service evidence |
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-6Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-7Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-8
Which periods follow the order and the seizure?
Authorisation lapses if the measure is not executed within three months of the order. Without an enforceable title, steps to obtain one must generally begin within one month of execution, on pain of lapse and subject to R511-7’s particular cases. These starting points are not interchangeable.
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-6Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-7
How can you separate debt, recovery risk and formalities?
The worksheet organises both sides: conditions for the creditor to substantiate, and review or release for the affected person.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Before a title, the debt must appear well founded in principle and recovery threatened. Check authorisation or a precise exception; an unpaid invoice alone is insufficient.
- Debt to document
- Signed contract and unpaid invoice
- Alleged risk requiring evidence
- Announced asset disposal and supporting evidence to check
- Identify the debt, supporting evidence and objective circumstances of risk.
- Find any authorisation order, seizure report and notices.
- Separate authorisation, execution and the steps to obtain an enforceable title.
- After obtaining a title, check conversion formalities for the specific asset.
Fictional example. Filling fields or holding a title does not authorise this tool to freeze funds or sell property. Statutory requirements and court control remain applicable.
What does the governing text say about conservatory seizure?
Toute personne dont la créance paraît fondée en son principe peut solliciter du juge l'autorisation de pratiquer une mesure conservatoire
In plain English: Article L511-1 combines an apparently well-founded debt with a threat to recovery. Conservatory security differs from payment and remains subject to statutory authorisations, exceptions and review.
Who can seek release of a conservatory measure?
The affected person can seek release where the requirements are not met. The creditor must substantiate the necessary conditions. The court may also substitute another suitable measure. Release can lead to a damages issue, but the existence and amount of harm do not follow automatically from release alone.
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L512-1Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R512-1Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L512-2
Does obtaining a title turn seizure into payment?
No. Conversion formalities depend on the asset and measure. Seizure of a debt involves, in particular, a conversion act served on the third party and a copy to the debtor. Tangible movables use a conversion command with a payment period before sale. Connect each document to its function rather than treating seizure as one operation.
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R523-7Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R523-8Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R522-7
What else should you know about conservatory seizure?
Can the commercial court president authorise a measure?
Before proceedings, the commercial court president may act for a debt within commercial jurisdiction. The enforcement judge is the general route. Check the parties’ status and subject matter.
What changes when an asset is held by a third party?
Under R511-8, evidence of required title-obtaining steps must be served on the third party within eight days of those acts, on pain of lapse. This does not invariably run from authorisation.
Does rejection of a payment-order application immediately end the seizure?
R511-7 provides a further month from rejection of an application made within time to bring the merits case. Keep proof of the initial filing, rejection and subsequent filing.
Does authorisation suffice to sell the secured asset?
No. A conservatory measure preserves security. The title and asset-specific conversion and sale formalities must then be checked; this is not an immediately paying attachment.
Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-1Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R523-7Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R522-7
Which sources explain conservatory seizure?
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-1République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-2République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-3République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L511-4République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-6République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-7République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R511-8République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L512-1République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R512-1République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article L512-2République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R523-7République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R523-8République française / DILA : Légifrance
- Code des procédures civiles d’exécution : article R522-7République française / DILA : Légifrance
Texts cited last checked: 19 October 2026