Which are the requirements for the communication of exhibits to the French civil courts?
Corentin Soucachet
Last Update 3 years ago
The modalities of communication of documents to the French civil courts are determined by the National Internal Rules of the legal profession (RIN).
Thus, article 5.5 of the RIN provides that exhibits must be "numbered, bear the lawyer’s stamp and be accompanied by a list of the exhibits dated and signed by the lawyer". The same article specifies that exhibits "in foreign languages must be accompanied by a free translation" (in case of dispute, a sworn translator is required).
With regard to the technical modalities, it is provided that "the communication of documents may be made by electronic means, by the delivery of any digital data storage medium, or the sending of an electronic mail, if it is proven that it has been definitively received by the recipient".
The exhibits stamping tool allows the preparation of exhibits and a list of the exhibits that can be communicated via the Lawyers' Virtual Private Network (RPVA), the user remaining responsible for the control and validity of the communication of the exhibits prepared by the application.
In accordance with the provisions of article 5.5 of the RIN, the list of the exhibits docket must be dated and signed by the lawyer after being downloaded in order to be validly communicated.
Lastly, the RPVA limits the volume of files that can be transmitted to 4 MB for a transmission to a court (10 MB for a transmission made only to another lawyer).