French Code of Criminal Procedure
In forceThe Public Prosecutor shall prepare the case for trial within forty-eight hours of receipt of the documents in matters of pre-trial detention and within ten days in all other matters; he shall submit it, together with his closing arguments, to the Investigating Chamber.
In the cases provided for by articles 173 and 186-1, or when it is directly seised pursuant to articles 81, ninth paragraph, 82-1, second paragraph, 156, second paragraph, or 167, penultimate paragraph, the Investigating Chamber must give its ruling within two months of the transmission of the file to the Public Prosecutor by the President of the Investigating Chamber.
The same shall apply in the event of an appeal in matters of judicial supervision or house arrest with electronic surveillance; failing this, in the event of an appeal against an order for placement under judicial supervision or house arrest with electronic surveillance or a refusal to release one of these two measures, the release thereof shall be acquired ipso jure, unless verifications concerning the person's request have been ordered or if unforeseeable and insurmountable circumstances prevent the case from being decided within the period provided for in this article.
In matters of pre-trial detention, the Investigating Chamber must rule as soon as possible and at the latest within ten days of the appeal in the case of an order for detention and within fifteen days in other cases, failing which the person concerned shall be released automatically, unless verifications concerning the person's request have been ordered or unforeseeable and insurmountable circumstances prevent the case from being heard within the period provided for in this article.
