Criminal Defence · France
Find a theft lawyer in France who takes your case seriously
Theft files in France are handled by the judicial order, and the lawyer you instruct shapes how the case is argued from the very first interview. Tell us what happened and we will match you with an avocat who works on theft matters, whether you are facing accusations or claiming compensation as a victim.
- Avocats registered at one of France’s 164 local bars
- Support for accused persons and for victims
- Clear guidance on French courts, fees and time limits
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Theft in France
How a theft case moves through the French system
If you have been accused of theft in France, or you have been the victim of a theft and want to recover what you lost, the first practical question is which lawyer to instruct. France has a codified civil-law system in which criminal and private disputes go before the judicial order: the tribunal judiciaire, one of the 36 cours d’appel, and the Cour de cassation in Paris. A theft lawyer in France will know how a file travels through those courts, what has to be established, and how a compensation claim is attached to the criminal proceedings. We are not a law firm: we listen to what happened and match you with an avocat registered at a French bar. The introduction is free and commits you to nothing.
France in detail
The French framework around a theft case
French criminal procedure runs through the judicial order, and the rules on representation, cost and time limits are set at national level. The blocks below set out the verified French framework, but every file still needs a lawyer’s own reading before any decision is taken.
Criminal cases belong to the judicial order
France maintains two separate court systems. Criminal and private-law disputes are heard by the judicial order: the tribunal judiciaire at first instance, one of the 36 cours d’appel on appeal, and the Cour de cassation in Paris, which reviews questions of law only and never re-tries the facts. Disputes involving public authorities go to the administrative order instead.
Who is allowed to act as your avocat
To practise in France, a lawyer must hold a Master 2 degree in law — required since 1 January 2025 — and the Certificat d’aptitude à la profession d’avocat, awarded after 18 months at a CRFPA following an entrance exam. They then take an oath before a cour d’appel and join the roll of one of the 164 local bars, with 20 hours of continuing education each year.
When representation is compulsory
Representation by an avocat is mandatory before the tribunal judiciaire in most civil claims above €10,000, before every cour d’appel, and before the Cour de cassation, where only avocats aux conseils may act. The accused must have a lawyer before a cour d’assises. Before the conseil de prud’hommes, tribunal de commerce and tribunal de proximité, parties may appear in person.
What the courts themselves cost
Justice in France is in principle free: the Act of 30 December 1977 and Article L111-2 of the Code de l’organisation judiciaire abolished stamp duties and court registration fees. Filing before a civil court of first instance or the conseil de prud’hommes still requires a €50 timbre fiscal, and an appeal with mandatory representation a €225 electronic stamp. Administrative courts charge nothing.
Lawyers’ fees and legal aid
There is no statutory tariff for lawyers outside the legal-aid scale: fees are freely agreed in a convention d’honoraires and may be time-based, a fixed fee, or a fixed fee with a success fee on top. Aide juridictionnelle covers all or part of the costs — full aid for a single person with reference taxable income up to €12,862 (2025 threshold), partial aid at 55% or 25%.
Timing your related civil claim
Alongside the criminal file, a victim may consider a civil claim for what was lost. French limitation periods differ by subject: five years for general civil and commercial debt claims, ten years for extra-contractual liability involving bodily injury, and no limitation period at all for an action for divorce. The table below lists the periods verified for France so you can raise the right question with your lawyer.
All rules, figures and periods shown on this page come from official French sources — the Ministry of Justice, the Conseil national des barreaux and Légifrance — verified at the time of publication.
- Ministère de la Justice — L’organisation des cours et tribunaux
- Ministère de la Justice — Système juridique et judiciaire de la France (PDF)
- Conseil national des barreaux — Conditions d’accès à la profession d’avocat
- Justice.fr — Frais de justice et coût d’un procès
- Code du travail — Article L1471-1
- Code civil — Prescription des actions civiles et commerciales
- Code de la consommation — Prescription des actions du consommateur
- Code civil — Délai d’option successorale
- Loi — Prescription des actions locatives (loyers et charges)
- Code de justice administrative — Délai de recours contentieux
- Code civil — Action en divorce
Common concerns
What people worry about before they instruct a lawyer
These are the questions we hear most often from clients dealing with a theft case in France.
You are not sure where the case will be heard
Theft is dealt with inside the judicial order, and a victim’s compensation claim can follow a different track. Without a clear map of the French system it is hard to know which step comes first or what to prepare.
You cannot estimate the cost or follow the language
French proceedings are conducted in French, and lawyers’ fees are freely agreed rather than fixed by a tariff. Many people hesitate because they cannot picture the bill or follow a file in a second language.
You do not yet know whether you need a lawyer
Perhaps the police have only taken a statement, or a first hearing has been listed. Whether representation is compulsory in your court, and what happens if you attend alone, is exactly what an avocat can tell you early.
How we help
A free route to the right French lawyer
We are a matching service, not a law firm. Our role is to understand your situation and introduce you to a lawyer qualified to act in France.
Matched with an avocat, not a call centre
We ask what happened, which court is involved and what you need, then introduce you to a lawyer registered at a French bar who works on theft matters.
Both sides of a theft file
Whether you are accused of theft or you have lost property and want it accounted for, we look for a lawyer used to handling the side of the case you are on.
Clear information before you commit
You learn how fees are structured in France, what legal aid can cover and which limitation periods may matter, before deciding whether to instruct anyone.
Free and confidential introduction
Describing your situation costs nothing and does not create a lawyer–client relationship. You decide whether to go further after speaking with the lawyer.
Also available in
Find a theft lawyer in other European countries
Our network covers several European jurisdictions. If your case crosses a border, or you are comparing options in more than one country, we can help you find a local specialist.
Questions and answers
Theft cases in France: frequently asked questions
Do I need a theft lawyer in France if I am the victim rather than the accused?
You are not obliged to instruct one, but a victim who wants compensation has to pursue it through the French courts, and that civil claim is usually attached to the criminal file. A lawyer can explain the available routes, the limitation periods that may apply and how evidence is presented at hearings.
Which French court deals with a theft case?
Criminal matters belong to the judicial order. First-instance cases are heard by the tribunal judiciaire sitting as a criminal court; appeals go to one of the 36 cours d’appel, which re-examine the case in fact and in law; the Cour de cassation in Paris reviews questions of law only and does not re-try the facts.
Is a lawyer compulsory in French criminal proceedings?
Before a cour d’assises the accused must be assisted by a lawyer, and representation by an avocat is compulsory in all appeals before the cour d’appel and in most civil claims above €10,000 before the tribunal judiciaire. Before the conseil de prud’hommes, tribunal de commerce and tribunal de proximité, parties may appear in person. Your lawyer confirms what applies to you.
How are lawyers’ fees set in France, and can legal aid help?
Fees are freely agreed between you and the lawyer and are usually recorded in a convention d’honoraires; they may be time-based, a fixed fee, or a fixed fee with a success fee added. Aide juridictionnelle covers all or part of the costs — full aid for a single person with reference taxable income up to €12,862 (2025), or partial aid at 55% or 25%.
Do I have to pay court fees in France?
Justice is in principle free. The Act of 30 December 1977 and Article L111-2 of the Code de l’organisation judiciaire abolished stamp duties and registration fees for court acts. A €50 timbre fiscal is still required to file before a civil court of first instance or the conseil de prud’hommes, and a €225 electronic stamp for an appeal with mandatory representation. Administrative courts charge nothing.
Can a lawyer in France handle my case in English?
Court proceedings in France are conducted in French, which is the language of the courts. A French avocat is admitted to a local bar and will explain your file to you, but hearings and written submissions are in French. Ask at the first meeting how the lawyer will keep you informed if your French is limited.
Next step
Tell us about the theft case and we will find the right avocat
Describe what happened in a few lines: whether you are accused or a victim, which French city or court is involved, and any date you have been given by the authorities. We will match you with a theft lawyer in France who handles this type of file. The introduction is free, confidential and does not commit you to instructing anyone.