Criminal Law
Criminal law, or "droit pénal" in French, governs the rules and principles related to offenses against the state or public order, as well as the punishments for those offenses. This area of law defines what constitutes a crime, ranging from minor infractions to serious felonies, and establishes the procedures for prosecuting and punishing individuals or entities that violate these laws. The primary objective of criminal law is to maintain public order and safety by deterring criminal behavior, administering justice, and protecting the rights of both victims and defendants within the legal system.
“In matters of divorce, evidence can be provided by any means [...]. The judge can only exclude a piece of evidence from the proceedings if it was obtained through violence or fraud” (Court of Cassation, 1st Civil Chamber, June 17, 2009, no. 07-21.796).
The evidence used by spouses must meet the obligation of fairness. Thus, a spouse cannot submit to the court “a piece of evidence that was obtained through violence or fraud” (Article 259-1 of the French Civil Code).
