The firm assists victims at every stage of French criminal proceedings: filing a plainte (criminal complaint),
becoming a partie civile (a civil party to the criminal proceedings), the instruction
(judicial investigation), hearings and civil claims for compensation.
Unlike certain systems where the victim is primarily a witness, French procedure allows the victim to become a
partie civile—a party to the case—with the ability to access the file, make submissions and actively
seek investigative steps, particularly during the instruction. The firm’s defence practice helps anticipate
procedural difficulties and optimise the victim’s strategy.
Plainte
Drafting a plainte • Police station • Procureur de la République
The firm assists victims in drafting their plainte (criminal complaint) and, where appropriate,
accompanies them to the police station when the complaint is likely to be recorded on the spot.
The aim is to structure the facts, evidence and requests.
The firm also prepares complaints addressed directly to the parquet (Public Prosecutor’s Office),
to ensure a clear, complete and legally robust formulation, and to preserve compatibility with any future
civil action or a constitution de partie civile.
Plainte avec constitution de partie civile
Seising the doyen des juges d’instruction • Compensation • Requests for investigative steps
The firm drafts a plainte avec constitution de partie civile, a French procedure that can trigger
the opening of a judicial investigation (“information judiciaire”) when a standard complaint has not led to action.
Drawing on extensive defence experience, the firm anticipates procedural challenges and seeks to address them early by making
targeted and relevant requests for acts (expert reports, interviews, document requisitions, confrontations).
This step allows the victim to obtain party status (partie civile), gain access to the case file,
and claim compensation for harm suffered.
Instruction
Full case follow-up • Requests for acts • Preparing the hearing phase
The firm follows the case throughout the instruction (judicial investigation), takes part in procedural steps,
requests necessary measures and prepares the hearing stage.
Defence practice helps anticipate potential challenges and strengthen the victim’s case through targeted steps
(expert assessments, witness evidence, additional documents and exhibits).
Procédure CIVI (compensation for victims of crime)
Commission d'indemnisation • Bodily injury • Fonds de garantie
Where an offence has caused serious harm—violence, assault, road-traffic offences, sexual offences, attempted homicide—
the victim may apply to the CIVI (Commission d’indemnisation des victimes d’infraction), a French compensation scheme,
to obtain full reparation, even if the offender is unknown, insolvent or not prosecuted.
The firm prepares comprehensive applications (medical certificates, expert reports, evidence of loss of earnings,
psychological impact) and brings the case before the CIVI, in liaison with the Fonds de garantie.
The aim is to secure compensation that is prompt, complete and tailored to all heads of loss.
The CIVI procedure is autonomous from the criminal proceedings and may provide compensation even in the absence of a conviction.
It is often essential where the offender cannot be identified or is insolvent.
