Universität zu Köln

In 2009 the ‘Léger Commission’ proposed new guidelines for judicial criminal pre-trial which were very much like the ones found in the German judicial system. The main suggestion was to suppress investigating judges and give the Public Prosecutor Office most of their powers and trusts. However, France gave up the idea after a former German Minister of Justice launched a warning against it in the Council of Europe on the grounds that it might only serve personal interest. Yet, why should a German Minister of Justice issue such a reminder? As a matter of fact, there are currently no Investigating Judges in Germany and the Public Prosecutor as a public official is still strongly connected to the Executive Authority. Could there be differences which would explain why the German judicial system is compatible with the main principles which apply to proceedings in criminal matters, even though the French ‘Léger Commission’ guidelines, which are very close to the German system ones, have been criticized by the Council of Europe? In what ways can comparative law help us further understand the legal issues raised by the investigating judges, source of continuing concern in France? This PhD thesis aims at providing some answers to these questions while trying to avoid an outsider’s dry approach to a country’s laws, what Jean Carbonnier referred to as le mythe du législateur étranger. The purpose is to go deep into the heart of the German and French proceedings in criminal matters by comparing them thoroughly and considering the paramount influence of the European Union and of the Council of Europe. There will be a critical approach towards the proceedings and an assessment of the pre-trial operational balance acknowledging the leading principles of penal procedure, judicial independence and neutrality, as well as the fundamental rights and freedoms of those affected. In order to decide whether there should be investigating judges, it is necessary to examine more deeply the role played by those who would replace them, namely Public Prosecutors and other pretrial judges like the liberty and custody judge in France or the judge of the investigations in Germany. Would their legal status, duties and effectiveness be different? There will also be a thorough analysis of the principles governing mandatory and discretionary prosecutions, principles which have been applied differently in Germany and in France, and which can have a real influence on the existing national judicial system balance.

English