Juror of Assize
Verified 04 April 2024 - Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister), Ministry of Justice
Are you a French citizen registered to vote? You can be drawn to be sworn to the court of assises. As a sitting jury, you participate alongside the professional magistrates in the trial of persons accused of crimes. If you are selected to serve as a juror, you must meet certain obligations. You are entitled to compensation. We present you with the information you need to know.
Any French citizen registered on the electoral rolls can be sworn in. However, you must meet certain conditions and not be placed in a case of incapacity, professional incompatibility or exclusion.
Conditions
You can be drawn to serve as a jury of assize if you meet all of the following conditions:
- You are a French national
- You are at least 23 years old
- You can read and write in French
Incapacity case
Certain categories of persons shall not be allowed to participate in the trial of crimes. These include:
- Persons who have been convicted for a crime or a offense
- Persons who have been deprived of certain civil, civil and family rights (e.g. the right to vote)
- Public officials dismissed from office
- People protected majors
Cases of professional incompatibility
A jury duty is incompatible with the performance of the following duties:
- Member of the government
- Members of Parliament (Member of Parliament or Senator)
- Magistrate
- Active police, prison or gendarmerie officer
Exclusion cases
Some individuals may be excluded from the jury list:
- Persons close to the accused, his lawyer or one of the magistrates present at the criminal court (husband, Civil partnerships' partner, common-law partner, parents, children, etc.)
- Persons who participated in the judicial proceedings (victim, interpreter, witness, etc.).
- Persons who, during the last 5 years, have participated in a sitting session within the same department
Jurors who will sit effectively during a trial of assizes are selected from a large number of people drawn at random on the electoral lists. This selection is made in 4 steps.
1st draw by the mayor on the electoral lists
There is one sitting court per department.
The mayor of a commune or the mayor appointed for a group of communes draws a first lottery from the electoral lists.
It then removes the names of individuals who have not reached the age of 23 in the course of calendar year which follows the year of the draw.
Then the mayor sends a mail to the electors on that advance list. So he tells them they were drawn for jury duty. It also tells them that they can make a request for exemption if they are prevented for serious reasons.
Finally, he shall forward the list to the Registry of the Court of Assize.
Please note
In Paris, the draw is made in each arrondissement.
Second draw by the Special Committee
A special committee attached to each of the assize courts refines the lists of jurors received by the various mayors.
First of all, the commission excludes from the list received from each mayor the following persons:
- Persons who do not qualify for jury duty
- Persons who, for serious reasons, are unable to perform jury duty. It is therefore up to him to decide whether the persons who have been drawn may be dispensed.
Finally, the committee draws a new lot and draws up for each commune (or group of communes) the annual list of jurors and the special list of alternate jurors.
These 2 lists are sent to the mayors of each of the municipalities of the department.
Mayors must alert the criminal court of any change that affects one of the individuals on one of the two lists: death, incapacity, incompatibility or exclusion.
Please note
Alternate jurors shall be chosen from persons residing in the municipality in which the Cour d'Assises is held.
Appointment of jurors
As a matter of principle, for each sitting session, 35 full jurors and 10 alternate jurors are drawn by lot from the annual list previously drawn up.
Nevertheless, in some courts (notably those in Paris, Bouches-du-Rhône, Charente, Gard, Gironde, Guyane, Martinique, Morbihan, Rhône, Seine-Saint-Denis, Var, etc.), 45 full jurors and 15 alternate jurors are drawn at random.
In any case, these prints shall be public.
If you are drawn to be a full or alternate juror, the Registry of the Court of Assize shall summon you by post at least 15 days before the beginning of the sitting. The notice of meeting shall specify the date and time of the opening of the sitting, its foreseeable duration and the place where it will be held.
You must send the receipt of this summons by post to the Registry of the Court of Assize.
Who shall I contact
Formation of the jury of judgment
The Assize Court is composed of 3 professional magistrates and 6 sitting jurors (or 9 sitting jurors before the Court of Appeal).
A sitting session makes it possible to judge several cases.
For each case, a final draw is made at the opening of the trial.
If your name is drawn, you're a tenured juror in the current case.
Nevertheless, the accused, his lawyer or the Advocate General may object to your being a member of the jury of assises. In that case, you are recused and you can't be a juror.
The first 6 unchallenged jurors form the jury. If it's an appeal case, the first nine jurors form the jury.
Additional jurors are drawn at random to replace jurors who could be suddenly prevented from attending trial (health reasons, professional imperatives, etc.).
FYI
The accused, his lawyer and the general counsel only know your full names, age and profession. The recusal takes place on the basis of these elements.
Training
As a juror, you undergo a short training during which the President of the Court of Assize, the Registrar and the Advocate GeneralThey shall provide explanations of the court. You're looking at a film that has the function that you will assume.
Role
You sit at the hearings and participate in the proceedings, at the end of which you will vote by secret ballot with other jurors and magistrates. So you're fully serving as a judge.
A first vote is on the guilt of the accused and, if found guilty, a second vote is taken on the sentence. Your voice counts as much as that of the judiciary.
As a result of these deliberations, your personal notes and ballots are destroyed.
FYI
Only full jurors participate in the deliberate. However, if an alternate juror is called in to replace a full juror, he or she will participate in the deliberations.
Obligations
As a juror, you must take the oath and fulfill the following obligations:
- Be attentive in debates. You have the opportunity to take handwritten notes and ask questions.
- Be impartial, that is, independent, neutral and objective, and not express your opinion
- Do not contact others about the case
- Vote on the guilt of the accused according to your intimate conviction
- Respect the secrecy of the deliberation (including once you have ceased to be a juror). Failure to respect the secrecy of the proceedings can result in a one-year prison sentence and €15,000 of fine.
Warning
You must also respect hearing schedules. The trials last from morning to night, with a lunch break. You can go home every night.
If you encounter difficulties in getting to the Court of Assisi (example: a public transport breakdown), you must notify the Court Registry. However, you must be able to travel, even at late hours.
Duration
Generally speaking, a sitting session lasts between 15 days and 3 weeks. During a session, several cases may take place. Once you are drawn for a case, you are obliged to sit. You are a full-time juror.
FYI
You may be selected to participate in more than one case during the session.
As a sitting jury, you don't get paid. However, you can collect allowances.
Who can help me?
Find who can answer your questions in your region
For a request for information on the proceedings before the Cour d'Assises
Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service
For more information on this topic, you can contact Allô Service Public.
Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and cannot therefore provide information on their status.
- Lundi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Mardi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Mercredi : de 08h30 à 12h15
- Jeudi : de 08h30 à 17h30
- Vendredi : de 13h00 à 16h15
- Service free
The informants who answer you are from the Department of Justice.
For a request for information on exemption cases
Judicial TribunalFor a request for information on the jury draw
Town Hall
Conditions of suitability for jury service
Juror selection procedure
Training of the jury at the opening of the sitting
Intimate conviction
Oath of jury
Article L1132-3 (Protection of sworn employees)
FAQ
Ministry of Justice