Fines, complaints and courts · Civil submissions · written pleadings
French civil submissions: structure and exhibits
In the French written trial-court procedure governed by article 768, submissions separate facts and procedural history, discussion and operative requests. Each claim must connect to its grounds and numbered exhibits, listed in an annex. The court decides the remedies in the operative section and examines grounds developed in the discussion. Final submissions must carry forward the claims and grounds to be retained.
- Separate facts and procedure
- Concrete operative requests
- Check the final version
- 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 article 768 set a maximum page count?
No. It organises structure and content without a universal page limit or filing period. Check the timetable and rules specific to the procedure.
Read the referencesYou are structuring French civil submissions: I can help connect operative requests, discussion and exhibits while preserving unresolved checks.
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How can you connect a claim, ground and exhibit?
Build an initial mapping using a fictional example. This outline prepares review rather than producing a complete filing-ready document.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Carry forward every claim and ground you wish to retain in the final submissions. Connect discussion, operative requests and exhibits; an earlier document is not automatically incorporated.
- Discussion to develop
- Contract and disputed delivery: chronology to check
- Request to set out
- Claim for repayment of a disputed price
- Exhibit mapping
- Exhibit 1: contract; exhibit 2: dated correspondence
- Present facts and procedural history in a separate section.
- Develop factual and legal grounds in the discussion.
- Set out the concrete remedies sought in the operative section.
- Attach the exhibit list and check actual communication of the exhibits.
- Mark new grounds distinctly and review omissions from the final version.
Fictional working outline, not filing-ready submissions. The lawyer must check remedies, grounds, sources and representation requirements.
Which sections should written civil submissions separate?
Article 768 separates facts and procedural history, discussion of claims and grounds, then an operative section summarising the claims. The structure should show what happened, why a request is supported and what the court is actually asked to order. It is more than a chronological case summary.
What function does each section of the submissions serve?
| Section | Purpose | Pre-filing check |
|---|---|---|
| Facts and procedure | Set out context and procedural steps | Facts linked to dated exhibits |
| Discussion | Develop claims and factual and legal grounds | Verified references and distinctly marked new grounds |
| Operative section | Summarise concrete remedies | Claims actually retained |
| Annexed exhibit list | Identify numbered evidence | Consistency and communication evidence |
How should each claim connect to grounds and exhibits?
Submissions expressly state the claims and factual and legal grounds. Each claim identifies the exhibits relied on and their numbering, with an annexed exhibit list. Map request, fact, rule and exhibit. If a reference is missing or does not support the stated fact, mark the issue for verification rather than filling it with an invented citation.
Why must the operative section contain more than a concluding heading?
The court decides only the claims set out in the operative section and considers their grounds only when developed in the discussion. State a concrete remedy rather than an idea scattered through the narrative. Labels such as “declare” or “find” do not by themselves establish a legally effective claim; have the actual requested result reviewed.
What does the governing text say about written pleadings?
Le tribunal ne statue que sur les prétentions énoncées au dispositif
In plain English: Article 768 separates sections and connects the decision to operative claims and grounds in the discussion. It also requires final submissions to carry forward retained claims and grounds.
What must be carried forward into final submissions?
Final submissions carry forward the claims and grounds to retain; omissions are treated as abandoned within article 768’s framework. New grounds must be formally distinguished. Compare versions rather than assuming the court will retrieve a claim from earlier submissions or an annex on its own initiative.
Does an exhibit list prove the exhibits were communicated?
No. The list identifies exhibits; actual communication to the other parties is a separate obligation. Articles 15, 16 and 132 require adversarial fairness and timely communication. Keep evidence of what was sent, to whom and when, using consistent numbering between versions.
What else should you know about written pleadings?
Does article 768 set a maximum page count?
No. It organises structure and content without a universal page limit or filing period. Check the timetable and rules specific to the procedure.
Can this structure be applied unchanged to a civil appeal?
This page concerns the written trial-court procedure under article 768. Appeal rules and formalities need separate checking; a first-instance outline does not guarantee compliance on appeal.
Are case-management submissions the same document?
Article 791 provides for submissions specifically addressed to the case-management judge, distinct from article 768 submissions, subject to the provision’s qualifications. Identify the recipient and purpose of each document.
Can AI fill factual or case-law gaps to make the draft persuasive?
Alleged facts, grounds and exhibits must remain verifiable. Flag missing information as missing. Assisted drafting replaces neither the actual file nor the lawyer’s review of references and remedies.
Which sources explain written pleadings?
- CPC article 768DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 132DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 15DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 16DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
- CPC article 791DILA / Légifrance, texte normatif officiel
Texts cited last checked: 19 October 2026