French Code of Criminal Procedure
In forceThe accused absent without valid excuse at the opening of the hearing shall be tried in absentia in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The same shall apply where the absence of the accused is noted during the proceedings and it is not possible to suspend them until his return.
However, the court may also decide to adjourn the case to a later session, after issuing a warrant for the arrest of the accused if such a warrant has not already been issued.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply in the cases provided for in the articles 320 and 322. Nor do they apply if the absence of the convicted person during the trial is noted, even though the accused has already been questioned about the facts and his personality; in this case, the trial shall continue until its conclusion, in accordance with Chapters VI and VII of this Title, with the exception of the provisions relating to the presence of the accused, whose lawyer shall continue to defend his interests; if the accused is sentenced to a custodial sentence not covered by pre-trial detention, the court shall issue an arrest warrant for the accused, unless such warrant has already been issued. The time limits for appealing or appealing to the Supreme Court run from the date on which the judgment is brought to the attention of the accused.
