Find an internet lawyer in France who handles your online dispute

France in practice

Internet disputes inside the French legal system

France is a codified civil-law country whose courts are divided into two separate orders, and that structure shapes how an online dispute is handled here. The points below set out the verified rules on jurisdiction, representation, professional requirements and costs that you should expect.

Which court hears an online dispute

Most civil claims arising online — reputational harm, conflicts with a platform, unpaid invoices — start before the tribunal judiciaire, the general civil court. Business disputes between traders may be heard by the tribunal de commerce. Claims against a public authority fall instead to the administrative courts. Representation rules and costs differ between them.

France runs two separate court orders

The judicial order (tribunal judiciaire, cour d’appel, Cour de cassation) handles private-law and criminal disputes. The administrative order (tribunal administratif, cour administrative d’appel, Conseil d’État) handles disputes involving public authorities. The Tribunal des conflits settles conflicts of jurisdiction between the two, and the Conseil constitutionnel reviews the conformity of statutes with the Constitution.

When an avocat’s representation is compulsory

In most civil claims above €10,000 before the tribunal judiciaire, and in every appeal before the cour d’appel, representation by an avocat is mandatory. Before the Cour de cassation only specialised avocats aux conseils may act. By contrast, parties may appear in person before the conseil de prud’hommes, the tribunal de commerce and the tribunal de proximité.

Who is entitled to practise in France

An avocat must hold a Master 2 in law (since 1 January 2025) and the Certificat d’aptitude à la profession d’avocat, obtained after an eighteen-month course at a CRFPA and an entrance exam. They take an oath before the cour d’appel, register on the roll of one of the 164 local bars, and complete 20 hours of continuing education annually.

What bringing proceedings costs

Justice is in principle free: court acts themselves carry no stamp duty or registration fee. Filing a claim before a civil court of first instance or the conseil de prud’hommes requires a €50 fiscal stamp, and an appeal with mandatory representation requires a €225 electronic stamp. Administrative court proceedings are free of charge. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed.

Legal aid and the language of the courts

Proceedings are conducted in French, and documents filed with a French court must be in French. Aide juridictionnelle covers all or part of the costs of proceedings, including lawyers’, bailiff and notary costs. In 2025 full legal aid is available to a single person whose reference taxable income does not exceed €12,862; partial aid is granted at 55% or 25%.

All country information above is taken from official French sources (Ministère de la Justice, Conseil national des barreaux, Légifrance and justice.fr), reviewed in 2025; procedural rules and thresholds can change, so confirm the position that applies to your case with your lawyer.

• Ministère de la Justice — organisation of French courts and tribunals
• Conseil national des barreaux — conditions of access to the profession of avocat
• justice.fr — court fees and the cost of proceedings
• Ministère de la Justice — the French legal and judicial system
• Code du travail, article L1471-1 — limitation periods for employment claims
• Code civil — limitation of civil and extra-contractual claims
• Code de la consommation — limitation of consumer debt claims
• Code civil — option to accept or renounce an inheritance
• Loi — limitation of actions for unpaid rent and charges
• Code de justice administrative — time limit for a recours contentieux
• Code civil — action for divorce