A "Justice morte" (dead justice) day across France. This is the course of action chosen by lawyers to voice their strong opposition to Gérald Darmanin's bill on criminal justice on Monday, April 13, 2026, reports La Croix. This bill, which is being debated in the Senate, aims to combat the backlog in the justice system—nearly 6,000 criminal cases are awaiting trial in France—but its methods deeply divide the judicial world.
The three measures that are causing anger
La Croix and France Info detail the three most contested provisions. Firstly, the extension of prior conviction recognition hearings (CRPC), the French "plea bargain," to felonies punishable by 15 to 20 years of imprisonment. Secondly, the possibility of trying certain felonies before a criminal court with a single professional judge, without a jury. Thirdly, the increase in the number of "justice points" to alleviate court congestion, but without guaranteed additional resources for the courts.
The anger of the Bar Associations
Le Parisien reports that Gérald Darmanin, the Minister of Justice, is seeking consensus but is facing a united front from legal professionals. Lawyers denounce a "bureaucratic justice" that would distance citizens from the judicial process and reduce defense rights. The National Council of Bar Associations has called for mobilization in France's 164 bar associations. In Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Bordeaux, hearings have been suspended or postponed, with lawyers symbolically placing their robes in front of courthouses.
A democratic stake
Beyond legal technicalities, the debate touches on fundamental issues. CNews reports that opposition senators, from both the left and the center, have filed over 300 amendments. The risk, according to critics of the bill, is to create a two-tiered justice system: swift and degraded for routine cases, slow and complete only for high-profile cases. The Keeper of the Seals, on the contrary, asserts that his reform "modernizes" justice without sacrificing fundamental rights. A vote in the Senate is expected by the end of the week.
