France · Courts
Court structure of France
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Constitutional — Conseil constitutionnel
- Nine members; a priori and QPC review.
- Supreme — Cour de cassation
- Reviews points of law only in civil and criminal matters.
- Supreme — Conseil d’État
- Apex of the administrative order and adviser to government.
- Appellate — Cours d’appel
- Thirty-six appellate courts of general jurisdiction.
- First instance — Tribunaux judiciaires
- Plus commercial, labour (conseils de prud’hommes) and assize courts.
Every court in the hierarchy
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