Public action in French law

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A criminal proceeding in French law (French: action publique, lit. 'public action') is one carried out in the name of society against a person accused of a criminal offense ^[fr] by applying the French penal code.^[1] It is taken in the name of society, in that its goal is to stop disruption of public order, and not to abate personal damages ^[fr] done to a specific person, which is governed by French civil law.

The proceeding is undertaken by the Public Prosecutor's Office (Ministère public), against perpetrators or accomplices accused of an infraction.

The term action publique is defined in Article 1 of the code of criminal procedure.^[2]