Direct Quote

Verified 23 January 2026 - Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The direct quote allows, to public prosecutor or to a person who considers himself a victim of infringement, summon the alleged perpetrator before a criminal courtso that he can be tried. We explain how the procedure is conducted, your rights and obligations.

The direct quote consists of summon the alleged perpetrator, before the correctional court or the police court.

The citation shall be issued at the request of the public prosecutor or the civil party or an authorized administration (e.g. customs).

It shall be handed over to the perpetrator by a commissioner of justice territorially competent according to the domicile of the person.

The direct quote must contain mandatory particulars.

It is possible only for an identified author.

It allows a trial to be opened in the absence of a thorough investigation. The alleged perpetrator must be identified and there must be sufficient evidence.

FYI  

This procedure may be used when, following a complaint, the prosecutor has decided to file without follow-up.

Only the people physical major and the legal persons may be directly summoned before a criminal court.

Only thetickets and the offenses may be directly quoted.

The direct quote is not not possible in criminal matters.

In order for the alleged perpetrator to be properly summoned before the criminal court, you must follow the steps of the procedure.

1Writing a Quote Request

In order for the author to be validly summoned, you must write a draft citation have to follow certain rules.

Your citation request must include the following information:

  • Identity and address of the Commissioner of Justice to whom you will ask to deliver the citation.
  • Your identity
    If you are a natural person, the citation must specify your surname, first name, profession and domicile.
    If you are a legal person, the citation must specify your form (SA, SARL, …), your denomination, your head office and the organ that you legally represents.
  • Identity of the person cited
    The summons must specify his marital status and the fact that he is " defendant ».
    If the accused is a natural person, you must specify his surname, first names and address.
    If the accused is a corporation, you must indicate the name and registered office of the accused. You can also indicate that the legal entity is being sued in the person of its legal representative at the time of the suits.
  • Identification of the civilly liable or witness
    If you decide to quote a person civilly responsible or a witness, you must also specify that they are “civilly responsible” or “witness”, as well as their surname, first names and address.
    When you call a witness, you must add the warning that failure to appear, refusal to testify and false testimony are punishable by law.
  • Identification of the audience
    The summons must indicate the court seised, the place of the court (its address and possibly the room), the time and date of the hearing (initially, leave this party without indication and wait until you have had the date of hearing by the registry of the criminal hearing by producing your draft request for summons).
  • Statement of the offense
    The accused person has the right to be informed of the charges against him in order to ensure his defense.
    The summons must set out the fact pursued and refer to the applicable law.
    The statement of the offense must be as clear and precise as possible and indicate the place and date of the offense.
  • Right to legal assistance
    The summons must indicate that the accused may be assisted by a lawyer of his choice or, if he so requests, by a public defender. The summons must specify that the lawyer's fees will be at his expense unless he meets the conditions of access to legal aid.
    The summons must also indicate that the accused has the opportunity to receive legal advice in a legal access structure.
  • Warning regarding the defendant's proof of income
    The summons must inform the defendant that he must appear in possession of proof of his income, and of his tax or non-tax notices. The summons must inform him that he can also communicate them to the lawyer representing him.
  • Financial impact of failure to appear
    The summons must inform the defendant that the fixed procedural law if convicted before the correctional court, the amount is increased if the accused does not appear personally or is not represented by his lawyer. The fixed procedural duty increased by €508 instead of €274.
  • Evidence of guilt of the perpetrator
    It is up to you to prove the guilt of the defendant by indicating the elements of evidence which you wish to raise before the court.
    This evidence may include photos, videos, testimonies, screenshots, bailiff's statements, handrails and all useful documents proving your claims.
  • Description of the harm suffered and evidence to prove it
    You must indicate the type of damage suffered (moral and/or material and/or bodily) and quantify the amount of this damage. The final assessment of that harm may be indicated at the hearing.
    You must also include all documents proving or attesting to the damage you have suffered or are still suffering: medical certificates, invoices, testimonies, etc
  • Date and signature of the person quoting
    You must date and sign the summons request that will be given to the Commissioner of Justice. If you are assisted by a lawyer and he writes the summons, he will sign it.

For the drafting of the summons request and the procedure before the correctional or police court, you can get help from a lawyer.

Who shall I contact

2Obtain a hearing date

Once you have drafted your citation, you must obtain a hearing date from the tribunal.

To do so, you must send it to the court office of the competent court, by letter or registered letter or file it in person with the court.

The competent court is determined on the basis of place of commission the offense or from home of the alleged perpetrator.

Who shall I contact

Once the hearing date is obtained, you must add it to your final citation project.

3Forward the summons to a commissioner of justice

You must transmit your draft summons, completed with the hearing date, at commissioner of justice the domicile of the respondent (or head office of the company, in the case of a legal person).

Your citation request must be accompanied by a slip including a list of useful parts to the procedure.

This step is essential in order to respect the adversarial principle.

The summons shall be delivered to the perpetrator by the Commissioner of Justice, who shall draw up a minutes.

The citation will be issued to the person named (or to his home, under consideration of the Commissioner or atparquet

It may be issued to the perpetrator, in any place, including the workplace.

4Meet direct citation deadlines

The direct summons must be delivered within a period that varies according to the domicile of the person to be summoned and the place of trial.

The time limit shall be calculated from the day on which the person concerned has had knowledge of citation.

The deadline is:

  • of at least 10 days before the hearing before the court, if the accused person resides in Metropolitan France,
  • of at least 1 month and 10 days if the person to be cited resides in a overseas department, an overseas territory or in a member country of theThe European Union.
  • from 2 months and 10 days if the named party resides in a country outside the European Union.

5Deposit the original of the summons at the Registry

Once the summons has been issued to the defendant, the Commissioner of Justice gives you a original of the act of summons.

This original must be delivered, without delay, at registry of the criminal hearingso that he can record the summons and make the criminal record.

6Prepare for the hearing

At the first hearing, the court sets the amount of logging and the payment period.

This deposit is fixed according to your income, on presentation of the supporting documents.

If you are a corporation, you must provide your balance sheet and your income statement.

One new hearing date shall be communicated to the parties for the continuation of the trial.

In the event of non-compliance with the time limit for payment of the deposit, the judge shall inadmissibility of direct summons.

FYI  

In the event that the direct summons is issued as a result of an order of investigating judge If you refuse to inform, you do not need to return a deposit.

Once the deposit has been paid, the rest of the trial proceeds as a classic criminal trial before the police court for a contravention or criminal court for an offense.

7Know the cost of the procedure

If you decide to be assisted by a lawyer, it's up to you to settle his fees, unless you can benefit from legal aid.

The costs of judicial commissioners are dependent on you, unless you are receiving legal aid.

Some fixed fees the proceedings shall be borne by the convicted person.

FYI  

If you win the case, you can apply for reimbursement of the legal costs incurred.

If you are summoned to court, you can check the validity of the direct summons and prepare your defense.

1Understand the delivery of the direct quote

The summons before the court is made by the delivery of a citation by a commissioner of justice.

The quote is given to you clean hands anywhere, including your workplace.

The Commissioner of Justice may also give it to one of your parents, allies, employees or to a resident person to your home.

If delivery of the quote is not possible, it may leave you a notice of passage or send you a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt informing you that a citation is to be removed from its study.

FYI  

The signature of the acknowledgement of receipt or receipt shall have the same legal value as hand delivery by the Commissioner of Justice.

2Check the validity of the direct quote

The direct quote must follow certain rules to be valid.

Your quote must include the following:

  • Identity and address of the Commissioner of Justice who issued you the summons
  • Identification of the party quoting you: civil party, public prosecutor, administration empowered by law
    If it is a natural person, the summons must specify his surnames, first names, profession and home.
    If it's a legal person, the summons must specify its form (SA, SARL, …), its name, its registered office and the body legally representing it (its representative).
  • Your identification as a defendant
    The summons must specify your marital status and the fact that you are " defendant ».
    If you are a natural person, your name, surname and address must be specified.
    If you are a corporation, your name (your name) and your registered office must be indicated.
  • Identification of the civilly liable or witness
    If you are quoted as civilly responsible or witness, your marital status (name, surname, address) must appear on the summons. The fact that you are “civilly responsible” or “witness” must also be stated.
    A summons to a witness must include a warning that failure to appear, refusal to testify and false testimony are punishable by law.
  • Identification of the audience
    The summons must indicate the court seised, the place of the court (its address and possibly the room), the time and date of the hearing.
  • Statement of the offense
    You have the right, as the person being prosecuted, to be informed of the charges against you. The summons must set out the fact being prosecuted and refer to the law criminalizing such acts.
  • Right to legal assistance
    The summons must indicate that you may be assisted by a lawyer of your choice or, if you so request, of a public defender. The costs of the public defender will be at your expense unless you meet the conditions for access to legal aid.
    The quotation must also indicate that you have the possibility to benefit, if necessary free of charge, from legal advice in a legal access structure.
  • Disclaimer about your income receipts
    The summons must inform you that you must appear at the hearing with proof of your income, tax or non-tax notices. You can share all of these documents with the lawyer representing you for transmission to the court.
  • Financial impact of your failure to appear
    The citation must inform you that the fixed procedural law due in the event of a conviction before the correctional court may be increased. If you do not appear personally or if you are not represented by a lawyer, the surcharge applies (€508 instead of €254).
  • Date and signature of the person quoting you
    The summons request must be dated and signed by the person who asked the Commissioner of Justice to summon you.

3Check the deadlines for the delivery of the direct quote

The direct summons must be delivered within a period that varies depending on your domicile and the place of the trial.

The delay is calculated from the day you had knowledge of citation.

The deadline is:

  • of at least 10 days, if you (the cited party) reside in Metropolitan France and that the trial shall be held in metropolis
  • of at least 10 days if you reside in a overseas department and that the trial shall be held before a court of this department
  • of at least 1 month and 10 days if you reside in a country of the European Union or if you reside in one department or territory Overseas and that she is summoned to a court in Metropolitan France or before a court of another overseas department or territory
  • from 2 months and 10 days if you reside in a country out European Union.

FYI  

When the summons is untimely, the absence of the accused shall render the summons invalid.

4Prepare the hearing and your defense

You have to appear personally at the hearing or make you assisted by a lawyer. Depending on your resources, you can request thelegal aid.

You can request copy of your file, by sending a letter to the public prosecutor, accompanied by proof of identity and references to the case.

Before the hearing and at any time during the trial, you may request any act necessary for the manifestation of the truth (e.g., an expertise, a witness hearing, the production of documents).

This request for an act must be made in writing, sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or delivered to the Registry against receipt.

The rest of the trial is a classic criminal trial before the police court for a contravention or the correctional court for one offense.

5Know the cost of the procedure

If you decide to be assisted by a lawyer, you will have to pay his fees.

In case of conviction, you will have to pay the fixed procedural rights.

If you are convicted by the court, you may be required to pay a fine or/and damages and interest to victims who have become civil parties.

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