The correctional court is mainly competent to the treatment of crime and the appeal of judgments rendered by the police court in criminal casesAn offence is liable to a penalty of imprisonment of a minimum of eight days and a maximum of five years or a fine of at least twenty-six euros to multiply by the décimes additional. The attempted offence is also punishable, but the penalties are, in this case, lighter than for a criminal offence as such. It is of very serious offences which are, in principle, the jurisdiction of the assize court, but are tried by the correctional court if the justice considers there are extenuating circumstances. The criminal court hears appeals of judgments rendered by the police court in criminal cases. The council chamber, as a court of instruction, has two major functions: to enjoy the arrest warrant and consider the referral of a matter to the tribunal correctionnel (criminal court of competent jurisdiction. If an investigating judge wishes to maintain in detention a person, the warrant of arrest should be extended from month to month. The decision to extend or not the arrest warrant belongs to the council chamber and not in the investigating judge.
At the end of the judicial investigation (investigation conducted by the investigating judge), the council chamber shall decide whether there is enough evidence of guilt of a suspect. If this is not the case, the chamber board gives a 'non-place' for the suspect On the other hand, if there is enough evidence, the council chamber decides that the suspect will be summoned to appear in front of the correctional court or the court of assizes.
The referral takes place via the indictments chamber, which is part of the court of appeal. The chamber of the council may also hold a hearing like a court of judgment This is the case when the internment or the suspension of the delivery is requested or required, provided that the publicity of the debates before the trial court (tribunal correctionnel) endanger the reintegration of the suspect.
