News & analyses
Decisions, reforms and practical insights in criminal law, commented by the firm.
Latest articles and press reviews
How long does police custody last? 24h, 48h, 96h or 144h?
How long can police custody last? 24 hours as a rule, extendable to 48 hours, and up to 96 or 144 hours for certain offences. Durations, extensions, when the clock starts and the lawyer's role.
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Administrative closure of businesses linked to drug trafficking: stronger police powers under administrative judicial review
The reform brought by the Law of 13 June 2025, through the new Article L333-2 of the Internal Security Code, marks a major shift in the administrative closure regime for premises linked to drug trafficking or money laundering.
Read the full analysisCriminal defence lawyer and police custody: a strategic choice that matters from the first hours
Police custody is a moment of rupture, marked by urgency, uncertainty and a clear imbalance between the authorities and the person held. Turning to a criminal defence lawyer is not a mere reflex, it is a strategic choice.
Read the full analysisThe offence of contributing to a criminal organisation: a new criminal approach to master
The introduction of Article 450-1-1 of the Criminal Code, from the Law of 13 June 2025, is a notable development in the fight against organised crime. It targets anyone contributing to a criminal organisation and redefines the criteria for criminal liability.
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Judicial news, analysis of a domestic-violence case
The criminal court of Saintes recently sentenced a 32-year-old man from Charente-Maritime to three years' imprisonment, two of them suspended on probation, for violence, threats and damage against two former partners.
Read the full analysisJudicial news, analysis of a drug-trafficking case in Nevers
The criminal hearing of 14 May was devoted to dismantling a drug-trafficking case brought to light by a wide-ranging investigation in and around Nevers. Wiretaps reveal a familiar slang where nicknames cloud the real identity of several speakers.
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High-profile case, Bobigny criminal court, May 2025
Mr. Charles Bruguière acted as defence counsel in a high-profile criminal matter heard in May 2025 before the departmental criminal court of Bobigny (Seine-Saint-Denis).
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End of an era for the formula "in any event within the national territory and during a time not covered by the limitation period"
The formula "in any event within the national territory and during a time not covered by the limitation period" does not allow the trial court to rule on facts not listed in the charges. Analysis and consequences for the defence.
Read the full analysisAccess to the PNIJ: just a question of grammar?
Once they have received authorisation from the magistrate, investigators do not need any special clearance to access the National Platform for Judicial Interceptions (PNIJ). Analysis.
Read the full analysisRights of the person under investigation
The person under investigation in criminal proceedings has the right to defend themselves, which includes the possibility to request the nullity of procedural acts that infringe their interests, in particular their right to private life.
Read the full analysisCriminal law and minors
Juvenile criminal justice is guided by a principle of autonomy, expressed in the existence of a specific text, but that principle is not absolute: where no specific provision exists, ordinary law applies.
Read the full analysisThe ne bis in idem principle and financial offences
The ne bis in idem principle, which prohibits punishing the same conduct twice, has been the subject of significant developments in financial criminal matters, in particular at the intersection between administrative and criminal sanctions.
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