Nicolas: Create French jurisdiction reference page (via create-page on MediaWiki MCP Server)

2026-04-23T02:05:00Z

Create French jurisdiction reference page (via create-page on MediaWiki MCP Server)

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= French Legal System =

Jurisdiction code: <code>fr</code>. Language: <code>fr</code> (always required). Corpus size: 60M+ documents.

== Court hierarchy ==

France has four judicial orders: judicial (''judiciaire''), administrative (''administratif''), financial (''financier''), and constitutional (''constitutionnel''). Each has its own apex court.

=== court_level mapping (T1 tag) ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! court_level !! Court (court tag) !! Order !! Notes
|-
| <code>supreme</code> || Cour de cassation (<code>cour_cassation</code>) || Judicial || Controls law, not facts
|-
| <code>supreme</code> || Conseil d'Etat (<code>conseil_etat</code>) || Administrative || Also government advisor (''avis'' are not ''arrets'')
|-
| <code>supreme</code> || Cour des comptes (<code>cour_des_comptes</code>) || Financial || Apex since 2023 reform; 1st instance (contentious chamber) + cassation over CAF
|-
| <code>appellate</code> || Cour d'appel (<code>cour_appel</code>) || Judicial || Rejudges facts + law
|-
| <code>appellate</code> || Cour administrative d'appel (<code>cour_administrative_appel</code>) || Administrative ||
|-
| <code>appellate</code> || Tribunal superieur d'appel (<code>tribunal_superieur_appel</code>) || Judicial || Overseas territories
|-
| <code>appellate</code> || Cour d'appel financiere (<code>cour_appel_financiere</code>) || Financial || Created 2023; appeals from CRC and CdC contentious chamber
|-
| <code>first_instance</code> || Tribunal judiciaire (<code>tribunal_judiciaire</code>) || Judicial || General civil/criminal
|-
| <code>first_instance</code> || Conseil de prud'hommes (<code>conseil_prudhommes</code>) || Judicial || Labor
|-
| <code>first_instance</code> || Tribunal de commerce (<code>tribunal_commerce</code>) || Judicial || Commercial
|-
| <code>first_instance</code> || Tribunal administratif (<code>tribunal_administratif</code>) || Administrative ||
|-
| <code>first_instance</code> || Chambre regionale des comptes (<code>chambre_regionale_des_comptes</code>) || Financial || Local authorities
|-
| <code>first_instance</code> || Cour de discipline budgetaire et financiere (<code>cour_discipline_budgetaire_financiere</code>) || Financial || Abolished 2023 (integrated into CdC); historical decisions 1954-2022
|-
| <code>constitutional</code> || Conseil constitutionnel (<code>conseil_constitutionnel</code>) || Constitutional || QPC can invalidate provisions
|-
| ''null'' || Tribunal des conflits (<code>tribunal_conflits</code>) || Sui generis || Arbitrates judicial vs. admin jurisdiction
|-
| ''null'' || CNIL (<code>cnil</code>) || Independent authority || Data protection
|-
| ''null'' || CADA (<code>cada</code>) || Independent authority || Access to admin documents
|}

=== Source-to-court mapping ===

Multiple data sources cover overlapping courts. Always search by <code>court</code> tag, not <code>source</code>.

{| class="wikitable"
! Source !! System !! Courts covered
|-
| <code>cass</code>, <code>inca</code> || Judicial || Cour de cassation
|-
| <code>capp</code> || Judicial || Cours d'appel
|-
| <code>judilibre</code> || Mixed || Cour de cassation + admin courts + cours d'appel (deduplicated)
|-
| <code>jade</code>, <code>ce_opendata</code> || Administrative || CE, CAA, TA, Tribunal des conflits
|-
| <code>jufi</code> || Financial || CdC, CRC, CDBF, CAF (~3,500 decisions, 1954-present)
|-
| <code>constit</code> || Constitutional || Conseil constitutionnel
|-
| <code>cnil</code> || Independent authority || CNIL sanctions
|-
| <code>cada</code> || Independent authority || CADA opinions
|}

=== Financial order — 2023 reform ===

Before 2023:
* Cour des comptes = appellate over CRC
* CDBF = separate disciplinary court

After 2023:
* Cour des comptes = apex (supreme): contentious chamber (absorbed CDBF) + cassation over CAF
* Cour d'appel financiere (CAF) = new appellate court
* CRC = first instance (unchanged)
* CDBF = abolished, historical decisions remain searchable

== Legislation types ==

=== Normative hierarchy ===

Constitution > treaties/EU law > ''loi'' > ''ordonnance ratifiee'' > ''decret'' > ''arrete'' > ''circulaire'' (not binding on courts)

=== Text types ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Type !! Description !! Tag example
|-
| Code || Consolidated legislation organized by topic || <code>tags={"code": "Code civil"}</code>
|-
| Loi || Parliament statute || <code>tags={"nature": "loi"}</code>
|-
| Loi organique || Organic law (constitutional-tier procedure) || <code>tags={"nature": "loi_organique"}</code>
|-
| Ordonnance || Government act under parliamentary authorization || <code>tags={"nature": "ordonnance"}</code>
|-
| Decret || Executive regulation || <code>tags={"nature": "decret"}</code>
|-
| Arrete || Ministerial/prefectoral order || <code>tags={"nature": "arrete"}</code>
|-
| Circulaire || Administrative interpretation (NOT in corpus) || See circulaires.gouv.fr
|}

=== Codification prefixes ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Prefix !! Origin !! Example
|-
| '''L.''' || Legislative (Parliament) — highest within a code || L.1234-5
|-
| '''R.''' || Regulatory (''decret en Conseil d'Etat'') || R.1234-5
|-
| '''D.''' || Regulatory (''decret simple'') || D.1234-5
|-
| '''A.''' || Ministerial order (''arrete'') || A.1234-5
|-
| ''No prefix'' || Old codes not recodified (Code civil, Code penal pre-1994) || 1240
|}

L. > R. within the same code. Same number with different prefix = different articles (L.1234-5 != R.1234-5).

=== Legislation sources: LEGI vs JORF ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Source !! Content !! Notes
|-
| <code>legi</code> || Consolidated legislation (versioned, with enforcement_status) || Preferred; shown in default search
|-
| <code>jorf</code> || Official gazette (original publication, no versioning) || Hidden from default search; use <code>tags={"source": "jorf"}</code>
|}

Same text exists in both with different IDs (LEGITEXT / JORFTEXT). ~4% of JORF texts have no LEGI counterpart (nominations, old texts).

=== Enforcement status ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Value !! Meaning !! Safety
|-
| <code>in_force</code> || Currently in force || Safe to cite
|-
| <code>deferred_enforcement</code> || Enacted but not yet applicable || Flag future effective date
|-
| <code>deferred_repeal</code> || Still in force until a future date || Cite but flag upcoming repeal
|-
| <code>repealed</code> || Repealed || NEVER cite as current law
|-
| <code>superseded</code> || Historical version, newer exists || Cite the newer version
|-
| <code>never_in_force</code> || Modified before effective date || Never cite
|-
| <code>expired</code> || Lapsed by sunset clause || No longer applicable
|-
| <code>annulled</code> || Struck down by court (typically retroactive) || Never cite
|-
| <code>transferred</code> || Content moved to different article (renumbering) || Cite new location
|-
| <code>denounced</code> || Collective agreement repudiated || No longer applies
|-
| <code>disjoined</code> || Version split into multiple articles || Cite resulting articles
|-
| <code>conditional</code> || In force under specific interpretation (constitutional reservation) ||
|-
| <code>pending</code> || Adopted but awaiting ratification ||
|}

== Publication grades (official_grade) ==

=== Administrative courts (PUBLI_RECUEIL system) ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Grade !! Label !! Courts !! importance_level
|-
| <code>A</code> || Publie au Recueil Lebon || CE, Tribunal des conflits || highest_importance
|-
| <code>B</code> || Mentionne aux Tables du Lebon || CE, Tribunal des conflits || high_importance
|-
| <code>R</code> || Interet jurisprudentiel majeur || CAA, TA (equivalent of A) || highest_importance
|-
| <code>C+</code> || Interet signale || CAA, TA (equivalent of B) || high_importance
|-
| <code>C</code> || Inedit || All admin courts || low_importance
|-
| <code>D</code> || Interet limite aux parties || All admin courts || minimal_importance
|-
| <code>Z</code> || Interet limite aux parties || All admin courts || minimal_importance
|}

=== Cour de cassation (post-2021, decisions after 2021-06-15) ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Grade !! Label !! importance_level
|-
| <code>rapport</code> || Selectionne pour le Rapport annuel || highest_importance
|-
| <code>bulletin</code> || Publie au Bulletin des arrets || high_importance
|-
| <code>diffuse</code> || Diffuse sur Legifrance || low_importance
|-
| <code>non_diffuse</code> || Non diffuse || minimal_importance
|}

=== Cour de cassation (pre-2021, decisions before 2021-06-15) ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Grade !! Former code !! Label !! importance_level
|-
| <code>rapport</code> || R || Rapport annuel || highest_importance
|-
| <code>bulletin</code> || P || Publie au Bulletin || high_importance
|-
| <code>bulletin_information</code> || B || Mentionne au BICC || medium_importance
|-
| <code>internet</code> || I || Diffuse sur internet || low_importance
|-
| <code>diffuse</code> || D || Diffuse aux bases || low_importance
|}

=== Lower courts (cour_appel, tribunal_judiciaire, tribunal_commerce) ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Grade !! Label !! importance_level !! Notes
|-
| <code>particular_interest</code> || Arret d'interet particulier || highest_importance || ~1,400 decisions out of 1.25M
|}

=== Financial courts (CdC, CRC, CDBF, CAF) ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Grade !! Label !! importance_level !! Notes
|-
| <code>recueil</code> || Publie au Recueil des juridictions financieres || high_importance || ~25% of decisions
|}

=== Default importance by court level (when no grade) ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Court level !! Default importance_level
|-
| cassation (supreme) || medium_importance
|-
| appel (appellate) || low_importance
|-
| premiere_instance (first_instance) || minimal_importance
|}

== Formation / solemnity system ==

Formations are ranked by ascending solemnity. Higher solemnity = greater jurisprudential authority.

=== Cour de cassation ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Formation !! Solemnity tag !! Notes
|-
| Formation restreinte (F, FRH, FRR) || <code>reduced_bench</code> || Minimum composition
|-
| Standard chamber (civ.1, civ.2, civ.3, com., soc., crim.) || <code>standard_bench</code> || Normal composition
|-
| Formation de section (FS) || <code>grand_bench</code> || Important questions
|-
| Formation pleniere de chambre (FP) || <code>grand_bench</code> || Full chamber
|-
| Chambre mixte (FM) || <code>combined_chambers</code> || Multiple chambers; outranks ''formation pleniere''
|-
| Assemblee pleniere || <code>full_court</code> || All chambers; highest authority
|}

Note: at the Cour de cassation, <code>combined_chambers</code> (Chambre mixte) outranks <code>grand_bench</code> (formation pleniere) — this diverges from the generic solemnity ordering.

=== Conseil d'Etat ===

{| class="wikitable"
! Formation !! Solemnity tag
|-
| Juge des referes || <code>single_judge</code>
|-
| Formation a 3 || <code>reduced_bench</code>
|-
| Chambre seule || <code>standard_bench</code>
|-
| Chambres reunies / SSR || <code>combined_chambers</code>
|-
| Section du contentieux || <code>grand_bench</code>
|-
| Assemblee du contentieux || <code>full_court</code>
|}

== Case number formats ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Court !! Format !! Example
|-
| Cour de cassation || <code>YY-NN.NNN</code> || 24-14.752
|-
| Cour d'appel / TJ || <code>YY/NNNNN</code> || 21/00091
|-
| Conseil d'Etat || <code>NNNNNN</code> (sequential) || 486329
|-
| TA / CAA || <code>YYLLNNNNN</code> (year + court code) || 24PA01233
|-
| Conseil constitutionnel || <code>YYYY-NNN TYPE</code> || 2021-823 DC
|-
| Tribunal des conflits || <code>CNNNN</code> || C4321
|-
| Cour des comptes || <code>S-YYYY-NNNN</code> || S-2025-0381
|-
| CDBF || <code>NNN-NNN</code> || 264-865
|}

Cass. pourvoi digits 3-4 correlate with chamber (80-89 = criminal, ~10-25 = civil/commercial/social).

== Labor law sources ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Source !! Content !! Tag
|-
| <code>kali</code> || Official collective agreement texts (DILA/Legifrance) || <code>tags={"source": "kali"}</code>
|-
| <code>acco</code> || Filed company agreements || <code>tags={"source": "acco"}</code>
|}

'''bargaining_level''' (T2 tag): <code>enterprise</code> (company agreement), <code>sectoral</code> (branch agreement). Also defined but not yet populated: <code>inter_sectoral</code>, <code>territorial</code>.

Each collective agreement has an IDCC number. IDCCs merge over time (e.g., metallurgy merged to IDCC 3248 in 2024).

== Doctrine sources ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Source !! Content !! Binding?
|-
| <code>bofip</code> || Tax administration interpretation (BOFiP) || Opposable to tax authority; NOT binding on courts
|-
| <code>cnil</code> || CNIL guidelines/recommendations || Soft law; widely followed as diligence standard
|-
| <code>cada</code> || CADA advisory opinions on document access || Advisory
|}

== What is NOT in the corpus ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Gap !! Alternative
|-
| First-instance decisions (TJ, CPH, TC) || Not systematically published
|-
| Academic doctrine (treatises, case commentaries) || Not available
|-
| Circulaires || circulaires.gouv.fr (not binding on courts)
|-
| Notarial practice and customs || Not available
|-
| Lower criminal court decisions || Sparse coverage (Cass. crim. is included)
|-
| Very recent enactments (< 48h) || Ingestion lag; flag for recent texts
|}

== Major reforms — renumbering traps ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Reform !! Effective !! Key changes
|-
| Obligations (ordonnance 2016-131) || 1 Oct 2016 || 1134->1103+1104, 1147->1231-1, 1382->1240, 1383->1241, 1384->1242. Contracts before 1 Oct 2016 use OLD articles.
|-
| Security interests (ordonnance 2021-1192) || 1 Jan 2022 || Reorganized Code civil Book IV (suretes)
|-
| Criminal justice for minors || 30 Sep 2021 || Code de justice penale des mineurs replaced 1945 ordonnance
|-
| Criminal procedure (loi 2024-364) || 1 Jul 2024 || Articles 63+ CPP (garde a vue) modified
|}

[[Category:Jurisdictions]]

Jurisdictions/FR - Revision history

Nicolas: Create French jurisdiction reference page (via create-page on MediaWiki MCP Server)