🧭 What Every International Client Should Know About French Criminal Justice

When facing serious criminal charges in France — such as manslaughter, organized crime, financial offenses or terrorism — the case is typically referred to the Cour d’assises, the highest criminal court. Unlike most common law jurisdictions, the French system combines professional judges with citizen jurors, creating a hybrid decision-making process that often surprises foreign clients.

In 2025, a major case brought this system into sharp focus: the trial of Yassine El Azizi, who was sentenced to 30 years of imprisonment by the Cour d’assises of Agen for the vehicular killing of gendarme Mélanie Lemée during a traffic stop.

But behind the tragedy lies a broader question for international observers:

🔍 How do French juries operate — and what does it mean for your defense strategy?

👥 The Jury System in France: A Democratic Ideal, or a Sentencing Machine?

The Cour d’assises is reserved for crimes punishable by more than 15 years of imprisonment, such as murder, rape, torture, or major acts of violence. These cases are tried by a mix of professional judges and lay jurors, with full criminal sentencing power.

➤ Who decides the verdict?

• 3 professional judges (including a presiding judge)
• 6 jurors (or 9 on appeal), randomly selected from the general population
• All decisions – including guilt and sentence – are made by majority vote (7 out of 9, or 8 out of 12)

That means your client could be convicted — and sentenced to decades — by a jury of citizens who have no legal training, but whose decisions carry full legal weight.

⚖️ The El Azizi Verdict: A Shift in Tone

In the case of Yassine El Azizi, the jury returned the maximum possible sentence: 30 years in prison. It was a highly publicized trial involving the death of a uniformed officer — a case soaked in public emotion and national symbolism.

This result isn’t isolated. Recent French jury trials show a growing trend:

• Harsher penalties, especially for violent or symbolic crimes
• Increased influence of public sentiment on lay jurors
• A push for “exemplary justice”, driven by media and political pressure

For foreign nationals or high-profile individuals, the implications are enormous:

The courtroom is no longer just a place of law — it's a theater of social justice.

🔒 Implications for High-Stakes Criminal Defense

As a result of this shift, defending a client before the Cour d’assises now requires more than legal expertise. It requires a deep understanding of jury psychology, media impact, and courtroom storytelling.

At my firm, we provide :

• Pre-trial media strategy to control public perception
• Narrative construction designed to resonate with jurors
• Rigorous cross-examination planning for emotionally charged witnesses
• Jury psychology coaching in preparation for trial

The goal is not just to argue the law — but to win hearts and minds within a system where reason and emotion now coexist at the bench.

📚 Jury Selection in France: What Foreign Clients Must Understand

Unlike in the U.S., French defendants and their lawyers do not choose jurors. Instead, jurors are:

• Randomly selected from electoral rolls
• Screened for eligibility (no prior convictions, etc.)
• Required by law to participate (penalties for refusal)

This makes voir dire strategies irrelevant — and increases the need for universal appeal in your courtroom approach.

Foreign clients — especially those from the U.S., UK, UAE, or Singapore — must adjust their expectations about how much control they have over the jury system in France.

🧭 What’s Changing in 2025?

France is actively reforming its criminal justice system. Since 2019, it has introduced Criminal Courts Without Juries (Cours criminelles départementales) for mid-level crimes, eliminating lay jurors in favor of panels of judges.

However, high-profile cases still go to the Cour d’assises, where the stakes — and visibility — remain highest. This is where elite criminal defense becomes indispensable.

🌍 Why Choose Me Nicolas PAGANELLI for Complex French Criminal Trials?

As an experienced Paris-based criminal defense lawyer, I regularly represent :

• International clients facing extradition or prosecution in France
• Foreign law firms needing correspondent counsel before the PNF or French courts
• Executives, diplomats, HNWIs whose cases carry reputational risk

What sets my approach apart ?

 ✅ Proven results in jury trials and white-collar defense
 ✅ Strategic litigation rooted in human psychology and procedural mastery
 ✅ English-speaking team with deep international litigation experience

📞 Contact Me for High-Stakes Criminal Representation in France

If your client is facing a jury trial in France, or if you are a foreign law firm needing elite criminal counsel, contact my office today.

We offer :

• Urgent case analysis
• Full procedural representation
• Cross-border coordination with your legal tea

🔗 Contact Me Nicolas PAGANELLI – Criminal Defense Lawyer in Paris 

Let’s turn legal complexity into strategic clarity — and protect your client’s liberty, dignity, and reputation.