Christine Courrégé
The Black File of Investigation Works 30 lawyers testify Publication date : May 25, 2006
Published in the midst of the uproar caused by the miscarriage of French criminal justice in a recent trial for paedophilia, this book re-examines both well- and lesser-known cases revealing dysfunctions of justice similar to the one currently under review. Each one of the more than thirty contributors gathered here who include some of the most renowned and experienced working in France today recounts a case where justice went awry.
Beyond the issues raised by the recent Outreau paedophilia trial, in all these cases the daily reality of the workings of the legal system reveal similar problems: the reflex of detention pending trial, a refusal to consider other options, the judges failure to apply laws that the penitentiary administrators dislike, failure to consider that lawyers should and must be heard, bias created by media pressure, a tendency to regard alleged perpetrators as no longer belonging to respectable society, the role of the press, recourse to expert opinions, preliminary defence investigation, request of records, lawyers intervention, release, handcuffing, and the relationship with the investigating magistrate.
This is a detailed examination of the legal system, by lawyers who are thoroughly familiar with its inner workings.
Contributors
M. Benichou, F. Cotta, C. Courrège, L. Decaune, J.-J. De Felice, C. Doubliez, B. Ducos Ader, M. Falek, .J-R. Farthouat, L. Foster, F. Gibault, T. Herzog, A. Jakubovitz, B. Jouanneau, G. Kiejman, E. Kneuze, H. Leclerc, J.-Y. Leborgne, J.-Y. Leinhardt, P. Lemaire, T. Lévy, O. Metzner, A. Molla, J.-L. Pelletier, F. Pons, D. Soulez Larivière, M.-P. Stasi, F. Szpiner, H. Termine, J. Tremollet de Villers, A. Varraut.
Beyond the issues raised by the recent Outreau paedophilia trial, in all these cases the daily reality of the workings of the legal system reveal similar problems: the reflex of detention pending trial, a refusal to consider other options, the judges failure to apply laws that the penitentiary administrators dislike, failure to consider that lawyers should and must be heard, bias created by media pressure, a tendency to regard alleged perpetrators as no longer belonging to respectable society, the role of the press, recourse to expert opinions, preliminary defence investigation, request of records, lawyers intervention, release, handcuffing, and the relationship with the investigating magistrate.
This is a detailed examination of the legal system, by lawyers who are thoroughly familiar with its inner workings.
Contributors
M. Benichou, F. Cotta, C. Courrège, L. Decaune, J.-J. De Felice, C. Doubliez, B. Ducos Ader, M. Falek, .J-R. Farthouat, L. Foster, F. Gibault, T. Herzog, A. Jakubovitz, B. Jouanneau, G. Kiejman, E. Kneuze, H. Leclerc, J.-Y. Leborgne, J.-Y. Leinhardt, P. Lemaire, T. Lévy, O. Metzner, A. Molla, J.-L. Pelletier, F. Pons, D. Soulez Larivière, M.-P. Stasi, F. Szpiner, H. Termine, J. Tremollet de Villers, A. Varraut.