cour d’assises

The cour d'assises is a French court that handles serious criminal matters. It is composed of three professional judges and nine lay assessors who deliberate together and decide by majority vote. This differs from the Anglo-American jury system, where judges and jurors have separate functions.1

In France, a juge d'instruction (investigating judge) first conducts a preliminary hearing to gather evidence and hear witnesses. If the juge d'instruction finds sufficient evidence, the case may be sent to the cour d'assises. The term "assize" itself historically refers to a court session, often involving a jury, and in modern France, assize courts are specifically for the most severe crimes.23