The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Europe
Judicial branch France, in 36 editions.
The entry for France published Judicial branch in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 16 editions. Each is shown as published. Judicial branch in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 16
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Judicial branch” (1990 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Changed since 2024- Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
- Head of Government--Prime Minister Michel ROCARD (since 10 March 1988)
Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government--Prime Minister Michel ROCARD (since 10 March 1988)
- Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981);
- Head of Government--Prime Minister Edith CRESSON (since 15 May 1991) Rally for the Republic (RPR, formerly UDR), Jacques CHIRAC;
- Union for French Democracy (UDF, federation of PR, CDS, and RAD), Valery Giscard d'ESTAING;
- Republican Party (PR), Gerard LONGUET;
- Center for Social Democrats (CDS), Pierre MEHAIGNERIE;
- Radical (RAD), Yves GALLARD;
- Socialist Party (PS), Pierre MAUROY;
- Left Radical Movement (MRG), Yves COLLIN;
- Communist Party (PCF), Georges MARCHAIS;
- National Front (FN), Jean-Marie LE PEN
Rewritten: too little of the 1990 text remains to mark the changes.
Court of Cassation (Cour de Cassation) Chief of State--President Francois MITTERRAND (since 21 May 1981); Head of Government--Prime Minister Edith CRESSON (since 15 May 1991) Rally for the Republic (RPR, formerly UDR), Jacques CHIRAC; Union for French Democracy (UDF, federation of PR, CDS, and RAD), Valery Giscard d'ESTAING; Republican Party (PR), Gerard LONGUET; Center for Social Democrats (CDS), Pierre MEHAIGNERIE; Radical (RAD), Yves GALLARD; Socialist Party (PS), Pierre MAUROY; Left Radical Movement (MRG), Yves COLLIN; Communist Party (PCF), Georges MARCHAIS; National Front (FN), Jean-Marie LE PEN
The same text in 4 editions, 1992 to 1995.
Constitutional Court (Cour Constitutionnelle)
Rewritten: too little of the 1991 text remains to mark the changes.
Constitutional Court (Cour Constitutionnelle)
Supreme Court of Appeals (Cour de Cassation), judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary
Constitutional Supreme Court of Appeals (Cour Constitutionnelle) de Cassation),
judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High
Council of the Judiciary
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary
Supreme Court of Appeals (Cour or Cour de Cassation),Cassation, judges
are appointed by the president from nominations of the High
the Judiciary
- Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary;
- Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate;
- Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges
are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of
the Judiciary Judiciary; Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel,
three members appointed by the president, three members appointed by
the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the
president of the Senate; Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
- Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary;
- Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate;
- Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges
judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High
Council ofConstitutionnel,
Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three
members appointed by
three appointed by the
Conseil d'Etat
- Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary;
- Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel, three members appointed by the president, three members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate;
- Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation,
The same text in 12 editions, 2001 to 2012.
- Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary);
- Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate);
- Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
Supreme Court of Appeals or Cour de Cassation, judges Cassation (judges are appointed by the president from nominations of the High Council of the Judiciary; Judiciary); Constitutional Council or Conseil Constitutionnel, three Constitutionnel (three members appointed by the president, three members appointed by the president of the National Assembly, and three appointed by the president of the Senate; Senate); Council of State or Conseil d'Etat
The same text in 2013 and 2014.
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judge term of appointment NA;
- Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal' d'instance
Rewritten: too little of the 2012 text remains to mark the changes.
highest court(s):
Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office:
Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judge term of appointment NA; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts:
appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal' d'instance
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judge term of appointment NA;
- Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal' d'instance
highest court(s):
judge selection and term of office:
subordinate courts:
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judges appointed for life;
- Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judge term of appointment NA; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal' Tribunal d'instance
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judges appointed for life;
- Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members appointed - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance
The same text in 3 editions, 2018 to 2020.
- highest courts:
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judges appointed for life;
- Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance;
- administrative courts
note: in April 2018, the French Government announced its intention to reform the country's judicial system
highest court(s): courts: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance d'instance; administrative courts
note: in April 2018, the French Government announced its intention to reform the country's judicial system
- highest courts:
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judges appointed for life;
- Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance;
- administrative courts
note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament
highest courts: Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; administrative courts
note: in April 2018, 2021, the French Government announced its intention to reform the country's submitted a bill on judicial system reform to Parliament
The same text in 3 editions, 2022 to 2024.
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judges appointed for life;
- Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or Cour d'Appel;
- regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance;
- first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance;
- administrative courts
note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament
highest courts: court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - 3 appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; administrative courts
note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament
- highest court(s):
- Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions -- 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal);
- Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
- judge selection and term of office:
- Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members;
- judges appointed for life;
- Constitutional Council has 3 members appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents;
- members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
- subordinate courts:
- appellate courts or cours d'appel;
- regional courts or tribunaux judiciaires;
- first instance courts or tribunaux de proximité;
- administrative courts
highest court(s): Court of Cassation or Cour de Cassation (consists of the court president, 6 divisional presiding judges, 120 trial judges, and 70 deputy judges organized into 6 divisions - -- 3 civil, 1 commercial, 1 labor, and 1 criminal); Constitutional Council (consists of 9 members)
judge selection and term of office: Court of Cassation judges appointed by the president of the republic from nominations from the High Council of the Judiciary, presided over by the Court of Cassation and 15 appointed members; judges appointed for life; Constitutional Council members - has 3 members appointed by the president of the republic and 3 each by the National Assembly and Senate presidents; members serve 9-year, non-renewable terms with one-third one third of the membership renewed every 3 years
subordinate courts: appellate courts or Cour d'Appel; cours d'appel; regional courts or Tribunal de Grande Instance; tribunaux judiciaires; first instance courts or Tribunal d'instance; tribunaux de proximité; administrative courts
note: in April 2021, the French Government submitted a bill on judicial reform to Parliament
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “France: Judicial branch.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/france/judicial-branch.